
aass__JtaLL_ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSlf 



Christopher 
Cokimbus 



By 



JOHN S. C. ABBOTT 







New York 

Dodd, Mead and Company 

Publishers 



THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copies ReceivetJ 

OCT I 1903 

Copyright Entry 
CIL^SS <^ XXc. No 
^00 PY 3. 



Copyright, 1875, 

BY 

DODD & MEAD. 



Copyright, 1903, 

liY 

LAURA ABBOTT BUCK. 



.• .•. ••; 



»' ' •- • ( 



... •:• : - 



\\ 



h^ 



PREFACE. 



A SERIES of volumes, upon the Pioneers and 
Patriots of America, would certainly be defective if 
they did not contain an account of the adventures 
of Christopher Columbus, the most illustrious of 
all the pioneers of the New World. Columbus had 
his enemies. He has been vehemently assailed. 
The writer has endeavored to give a perfectly correct 
account of his character and career, and has been 
careful to present to the reader his authority for 
every important statement. Many may think that 
the assaults upon his character do not deserve so 
much attention as is allotted to them in these pages. 
But when the reader has seen all that the most 
determined enmity can bring against him, a more 
correct judgment can probably be formed of his true 
merits and defects. 

John S. C. Abbott, 



s 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER 1. 
Struggles of his Early Life. 

FAes 
Parentage and early life — State of the times — Adventures of 
the sailor boy — His studies- — Personal .appearance — ^Visit 
to Lisbon — Result of his studies — Rumors of other lands 
— His high ambition — Application to the Court of Naples — 
Royal perfidy — His marriage — Departs for Spain — Scene 
at Palos — Visits the military court of Ferdinand and Isa- 
bella — Weariness of hope deferred — Conference of the 
philosophers — The astonishing decision .... 9 

CHAPTER n. -- 

First Voyage, 

Columbus at Cordova — Power of the feudal nobility — New re- 
jections — Return to La Rabida — Hopes revived — ^Journey 
of the prior — Persistent demands of Columbus — Interview 
with Isabella — The dismissal — The recall — The hour of 
triumph — Exultant return to Palos — Fitting out the expe- 
dition — Its character — Departure of the fleet , . .34 

CHAPTER III. 
Land Discovered, 

The mutinous crew — The gleam of the torch — The account 
criticised — Landing at San Salvador — Doubts as to the 
identity of the island — Enchanting scene — Two days on 
the island — Story of the dead pilot — Traffic with the natives 
— Their innocence and friendliness — Exploring the island- 
Uncertainty of the language of signs 57 



6 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER IV. 
A Tour among the Islands, 

PAG> 

Number of islands — The wrong and the reparation — Kind- 
ness ol Columbus — His description of the natives — The 
discoveiy of Concepcion ; of Fernandina — Beauty of the 
scenery — Landing at Exumata — Disappointment of Columbus 
— Cuba discovered — Exploration of the islands — Manners 
and customs of the inhabitants 77 

CHAPTER V. 
Romantic Adventures. 

Religious views — The garden of the king — Desertion by Pinzon 
— Beauty of the region — Immense canoes — Porto Rico, the 
island of the Caribs — Hayti — Rich scenery — Terror of the 
natives — The maiden captive — Communications opened | 
Account of Peter Martyr — Visit of the chief — Guacanagari 
— Punta Santa, or Grande Riviere — The shipwreck — Hospi- 
tality of Guacanagari — Amusements of the natives — The 
royal dinner party — Life in Hayti — The Caribs — Prepara- 
tions for the return voyage — The fortress . . 100 

CHAPTER VI. 
The Return Voyage. 

The Nina meets the Pinta — Rio de Gracia — A fierce tribe en- 
countered — The first conflict — Peace established — Life at 
sea — Terrific storm — Vows of the admiral and crew — Dis- 
tress of Columbus — The parchment and cask — They reach 
the Azores — Troubles at St. Mary's — Continued storms — 
Enters the Tagus — Honors at Lisbon — Court intrigues — 
Reception at Palos — Excitement throughout Spain — Sad 
Cate of Pinzon — Columbus at the Spanish ourt . . . X30 

CHAPTER VII. 
The Second Voyage. 

Excitement throughout Europe — The coat-of-arms— Pension ad- 
judged to Columbus — Ane;;dote of the egg — The Papal 



CONTENTS. 7 

PAGE 

sanction — Religious zeal of Isabella — Designs of Portugal — 
The new armament — (I-eneral enthusiasm — Sailing of the 
fleet — The pleasant voyage-— Electric phenomenon — Cruise 
through the Antilles — Lost in the woods — Conflict between 
the boats — Po:to Rico — The Caribbee Islands — The ap- 
proach to Hayti — The Gulf of Samana — La Navidad reached 
— Fate of the colony . . ..... 159 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Life at Hispaniola. 

Statement of Guacanagari — The chief suspected — Escape of the 
female captive — Gloom at Navidad — Exploring tours — The 
fleet sail — The city of Isabella founded — Busy scene at the 
landing — Disappointed expectations — Expeditions of Ojeda 
— Traversing the plains — Suffering in the colony — Letter to 
the sovereigns — The slavery question — Testimony of T. S. 
Heneken — Insurrection of Bernal Dias — Tour to the moun- 
tains — Vivid description ....... 190 

CHAPTER IX. 

The Coast of Cuba Explored. 

The fortress of St. Thomas — Extravagant expectations of the 
Spaniards — The exploring expedition — The arrest of thieves 
— Commencement of the maritime cruise — The harbor of 
Guantanamo — Interesting scene with the Indians — Jamaica 
— Its grandeur and beauty — Naval scene — Events at Santa 
Gloria — Native canoes — Events of the voyage — Testimony 
of Humboldt — The decision — The Island of Pines — Speech 
of the chief — The return to Hispaniola — Incidents of the 
voyage . 221, 

CHAPTER X. 
The Return to Spain^ and the Third Voyage. 

Arrival of Bartholomew Columbus — Outrages of Margarite — 
Conspiracy against Columbus — Friendship of Guacanagari — 
Feat of Oieda — E-n->lavin£i the natives — A bloody battle— 



8 CONTENTS. 

PAOK 

Despotism of Columbus — Mission of Juan Agiiado— The 
return to Spain — Weary months of disappointment — Unfor- 
tunate ebullition of passion — The third voyage commenced 
— Incidents of the voyage — The administration of Bariholo- 
mew Columbus — Anarchy at Hispaniola . . . 250 

CHAPTER XI. 

Th( Return to Spain, and the Fourth Voyagi, 

The revolt of Roldan — Conciliatory proposals of Columbus — 
Duplicity of Columbus — The expedition of Ojeda — Anarchy 
at Hayti — The fortresses — Waning of popularity — Bobadilla 
app/inted commissioner — Measures of Bobadilla — Columbus 
in chains — His reception by the King and Queen. Prepara- 
tions for a fourth voyage — The outward voyage — Reception 
of Columbus at San Domingo — The tornado — He reaches 
Honduras — Cruise along the coast — Conduct of the Spanish 
sailore — The settlement destroyed — Escape to Jamaica . sSt 

CHAPTER XII. 

The Shipwreck at jfamaica. 

Exploring the island — Heroic adventures of Mendez — Mental 
sufferings of Columbus — The meeting of two brothers Porras 
— Disasters of the mutineers — Piratic march through the 
island — Mr. Irving's testimony — Anecdote of the Eclipse — 
Strange expedition of Escobar — Sufferings of the voyage — 
The Island of Navasa — The narrative of Mendez — Base con- 
duct of Ovando — Heroism of Mendez — End of the rebellion 
— Their return . . . . . . . . • 3' " 

CHA'TER XIII. 

The Closing Scenes of Life. 

The crimes of Ovando — Depopjilation of the island — Testimony 
of Mr. Irving — The rescue — Reception at San Domingo— 
The sympathy of Columbus for the natives — Sickness and 
suflFerings of Isabella — Death and burial — Letters of Colum- 
bus — Visit to the court — Cold reception — His last will — The 
dying scene — The burial — His character .... 333 



Christopher Columbus 



CHAPTER I. 

Stn/oror/^s of his Early Lifg. 

Parentage and early life — State of the times — Adventurjcs of the 
Sailor Boy — His studies — Personal appearance — Visit t) Lis- 
bon — Result of his studies — Rumors of other lands — His high 
ambition — Application to the Court of Naples — Royal Pertidy — 
His marriage — Departs for Spain — Scene at Palos — Visits the 
Military Court of Ferdinand and Isabella — Weariness of hope 
deferred — Conference of the philosophers — "" he astonishing 
decision. 

In the magnificent maritime cit\' called Genoa the- 
Superb, there was born, about the year 1435,'^ a child 

* The date of his birth is a Vfxata qu<rstio. Washington Irving, 
rleying upon the evidence given by Bernaldez, in the " Cura de los Pala- 
cios," states it to be about 1435 or 1436. This inference he draws from 
the remark of Bernaldez that he died " in the year one thousand five 
hundred and six, at the age of seventy, a little more or less." Juan Bau- 
tista Munoz, in his '* Histoire del Naevo Mundo, " concludes that he was 
born in 1446. Don Ferdinand, the .\dmirars son, relates, that in a 
letter addressed by his father to the King and Queen, and dated 1501, 
lie Slates, that he had then been forty years at sea ; an'^. in another letter 
that he was fourteen years old when he went to sea ; so that, allowing 
a year either way for probable inattention to minuteness in these state- 
tnents, we get the dateof his tirth, fixed by his own hand, at about 1441 

J* 



10 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

now known throughout the whole civiHzed world as 
Christopher Columbus. Even the precise year of his 
birth is not known. He was the child of humble 
parents ; and his father, a very worthy and industrious 
man, who followed the employment of a wool comber, 
labored hard for the support of his household. 

The harbor of Genoa was filled with shipping 
from all the commercial ports of the then known 
world. The wharves were crowded with sailors, 
speaking diverse languages and dressed in every 
variety of costume. The boy had received from 
nature a reflective mind, a poetic imagination, and a 
strong love for adventure. As he strolled the streets, 
and gazed upon the majestic ships, his childish spirit 
was roused to visit distant lands. 

There were four children in the family, three sons 
and a daughter. The father must have been a wor- 
thy and intelligent man, for he seems to have given 
each of his children a good common school education. 
Christopher was well instructed in writing, grammar, 
and arithmetic. He also made some proficiency in 
the Latin tongue, and in the arts of drawing and 
design. He even entered the University of Pavia, 
where he prosecuted, with great success, the studies 
of geometry, geography, astronomy, and navigation. 

When but fourteen years of age, the father of 
Christopher inti usted him to the care of a relative 



STRUGGLES OF HIS EARLY LIFE. II 

by the name of Colombo, to make bis first vojage 
This veteran seaman had already acquired much dis- 
tinction for his nautical skill. He had attained the 
rank of Admiral, in the Genoese navy, and had com- 
manded a squadron. 

The seas were then so infested with pirates that 
every merchant vessel was compelled to go well 
armed, ever ready for battle. We know not the in- 
cidents of this voyage. But the first voyage of 
Columbus, of which we have any account, was a 
naval expedition. Colombo, in command of a squad- 
ron, sailed from Genoa to aid King Ren^ in an 
attempt to recover his kingdom. This was in the 
year 1459. The conflict lasted for four years. The 
squadron of Colombo gained mu^ch renown for its 
intrepidity. 

Christopher Columbus subsequently, in a letter to 
Ferdinand and Isabella, gave a brief account of an 
expedition upon which he was detached to cut out a 
galley from the harbor of Tunis. His crew chanced to 
learn that the galley was protected by two other ships ; 
they were so much alarmed as to refuse to proceed 
on the expedition. Columbus apparently assented 
to their wishes, and led them to think that he had 
decided to go back to obtain the reinforcement of 
another vessel. He altered the point of the compass 
and spread all sail. Night soon came on. In th« 



12 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

morning the ship was entering the harbor where the 
galley lay. 

We are not informed oC the result. But the 
incident strikingly reminds us of the still more 
Important stratagem to which he subsequently 
resorted to induce his disheartened crew to press 
forward over the wild sea toward the New World, 
The Atlantic Ocean was, at that time, quite un- 
explored. A few enterprising seamen had coast- 
ed along the shores of northern Europe, and had 
cautiously sailed down the western coast of Africa 
But the commerce of the world was mainly confined 
to the Mediterranean. These were days of violence, 
lawlessness and crime.* 

Every merchantman was compelled to go armed. 
Pirates, often sailing in fleets, infested all seas. A 
mariner was of necessity a soldier, ever ready to grasp 
his arms to repel an assailing foe. It was through this 
tutelage Columbus was reared. W^e have no record 
of his early voyages. It is simply known that he 
traversed much of the then known world. He vis- 

* rheie is one story told of Columbus to which I ought to allude 
though the most reliable authorities discard it. Ferdinand, hit son, 
6rst relates the incident. He says that he was engaged in a desperate 
sea fight. The two vessels were lashed together by iron grappling^ 
Hand grenades were thrown, and both were wrapped in flames. Co- 
lumbus leaped into the sea and was buoyed up by an oar to the shore, 
a distance of six miles. See LetUrs of Columhis. Translated by H 
H. NL^jor, Esq. of the British Museum. Introduction, p.3g. 



STRUGGLES OF HIS EARLY LIFE. 1 3 

ited England. His adventurous keel ploughed the 
waters o( the North Sea till he reached the arctic 
shores of Iceland. It is not improbable that he 
might there have heard vague tales of the expedi- 
tions, centuries before, of the Northmen to the ice- 
bound coasts of Labrador and Greenland, and of the 
limitless shores reaching thence down south, no one 
could imagine how far. Subsequently, in one of his 
letters, he writes: 

*' I have been seeking out the secrets of nature 
for forty years. And wherever ship has sailed there 
have I vovac^ed." 

In the course of his wanderings he at length 
found himself at Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, then 
one of the most renowned seaports in the world. He 
had attained the age of thirty-five years. No par- 
ticular description of his personal appearance has de- 
scended to us. We simply know that he was a tall 
man, of sedate and dignified demeanor, and with no 
convivial tastes. He was thoughtful, studious, pen- 
sive ; of a deeply religious nature ; ever pondering the 
mystery of this our sublime earthly being, emerging 
from nothing, and, after a short voyage over life's 
stormy sea, disappearing into the deep unknown. 

He was a man of great simplicity of character, 
with the organ of veneration strongly developed. He 
was modest sensitive, and magnanimous. He was a 



14 CHRISTOPHER CuLLMBUS. 

natural crentleman, exceedingly courteous in hisbeai 
ing and without a shade of vanity. Intellectually, he 
certainly stood in the highest rank, being quite in 
advance of the philosophy of his times. 

In the biography of Columbus, given by his son, 
we are informed that he was an earnest student. lie 
read the works of Aristotle, Seneca, Strabo. Many 
midnight hours were spent in reading the accounts 
of the explorations of Marco Polo, and of Sir John 
Maundeville. He deeply pondered the questions 
which these discoveries suggested. But the volume 
which interested him most and which most thor- 
oughly aroused his mind, was the " Cosmographia '* 
of Cardinal Aliaco. It was a strange medley of folly 
and wisdom, of true science and absurd fable. 
r-'" Columbus found at Lisbon many mariners — 
^ intelligent, observing men — who had explored all 
known seas. From them he heard of drift-wood 
which had been found, different from any vegetable 
growth known in Europe. Rude carvings had been 
picked from the waves, evidently cut by some savage 
implements. And, most strange of all, two corpses 
had been washed upon the Azores, presenting an 
appearance very unlike any of the known races of 
/ Europe or Africa. 

Gradually the idea seems to have dawned and 
expanded in the mind of Columbus, that there must 



STRUGGLES OF llIS EARLY LIFE. 1 5 

be other and vast realms on this globe, not yet dis- 
covered by Europeans. But a small portion of ouf 
globe had then been visited by civilized men. The 
mind of Columbus became greatly excited, as alone in 
his room he examined the meagre maps of those days. 
With pencil in hand he sketched the familiar shores 
of the Mediterranean, and the less known coast of 
Africa, from Cape Blanco to Cape Verde. He then, 
in imagination, pushed out boldly into the Atlantic 
Ocean, as fiftr as the Azores. Here he had to stop. 
All beyond was unknown and unexplored. 

With flushed cheek he pondered the wonderful 
theme, as thoughtful men now often find their souls 
agitated, in contemplating the sublime and awful 
mystery of infinite space. What is there, he asked, 
in that vast ocean, extending, limitless, to the west? 
Is the earth a plain ? If so, where is the end, and 
what is there beyond ? Is it a globe ? If so, how 
large is it ? In the boundless ocean are there othei 
lands ? Would it be possible for a bold adventurei 
to sail around it ? It now seems marvellous that this 
globe could have existed so many thousand years, 
i ihabited by thoughtful men, while questions of 
such infinite moment as these should have slum- 
bered in the mind. 

The following interesting and apparently well 
authenticated statements are given by Hon. Willian; 



l6 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Willis, in his very valuable Documentary History of 
the State of Maine. 

In the year 1477 Christopher Columbus went out 
to explore and reconnoitre the old northern route, 
by the way of Iceland, toward the west. It is prob- 
able that he had heard of the discoveries of the 
Northmen in that direction, and of the short distance 
which was supposed to exist between the extreme 
north of Europe and the shores of Asia. 

He made several trips, preparatory to his grand 
undertaking'. On the south he visited Madeira, the 
Canary Islands, and the coast of Guinea. He care- 
fully studied all the routes of the Portuguese navi- 
gators, and also made himself familiar with the 
remotest of their discoveries toward the Azores, or 
Western Islands. Humboldt thinks it probable that 
he made an excursion to the extreme western outport 
of Portuguese discovery.* 

He also tried the northern route, sailing toward 
Iceland, and some distance beyond it. It is probable 
that he had read the Northmen's account of Green- 
land, Markland, and Vineland. The last ship had 
returned from Greenland to Iceland, only about one 
hundred years before the visit of Columbus to that 
island. Malte Brun supposes that Columbus, when 

♦ Humboldt, " Kritische Untersuchungen," vol. i, p, 231. Ber- 
tin, 1852. 



STRU(KiLES OF HIS EARLY LIFE. 1^ 

in Italy, had heard of the exploits jf these bold ad- 
venturers beyond Iceland ; for Rome was then the 
centre of the world, and all important intelligence 
immediately flowed there.* 

A Danish author suggests that Columbus, who 
eagerly sought out all books and manuscripts con- 
taining an account of voyages and discoveries, had 
met with the writings of the well-known historian 
Adam of Bremen, who very emphatically announces 
the discovery of Vineland.f These suggestions prob- 
ably induced him to make his trip to Iceland ; and, 
according to the account of Fernando Colombo, his 
son, he not only spent some time in Iceland, but sailed 
three hundred miles beyond, which must have brought 
him nearly within sight of Greenland.:]: 

The renowned Danish historian, Finn Magnusen, 
remarks: "If Columbus had been informed of the 
most important discoveries of the Northmen, it is 
much easier to understand his firm belief in the pos- 
sibility of the rediscovery of a western country, and 
his great zeal in carrying it out. And we may con- 
ceive his subsequent discovery of America, partly as 
a continuation and consequence of the transactions 
and achievements of the old Scandinavians." * 

♦ Malte Brun, " Histoire de la Geographic, 2, pp. 395, 499 
f Finn Magnusen, 1. c. p. 165, note I. 

X Vita deir amiraglio Christophoro Colombo, ch. 4. Venetia, i57i_ 
+ Om de Engelskes Handel pua Island in No'disk Tidsskriff 
foi Oldkyndighed. 2 Bind. p. 116. 



l8 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Columbus, a self-taught philosopher, ascertained 
just how long it took the sun to traverse the two 
thousand miles' length of the Mediterranean Sea. 
From that, he inferred the distance of space 3vei 
V. Inch it would pass in twenty-four hours. This vas 
true Bac(^nian philosophy. Such problems not only 
expanded his mind, but disciplined his reasoning 
powers, and removed him from the baleful influence 
of visionary dreams. 

The exciting study absorbed his whole intellectual 
being. Pleasure was unthought of. The ordinary 
pursuits of ambition were forgotten. He was ever 
conversing upon the subject with all his friends and 
acquaintances. Thi* drew many mariners to his 
studio, with narratives of what they had seen or 
imagined. 

Gradually Columbus came to the conclusion that 
the world must be a globe ; and that, by sailing 
directly west, the shores of Asia would eventually be 
reached. By his measurement of the sun's apparent 
speed, he had formed a pretty accurate estimate of 
the size of the globe. It was not his supposition that 
there was any land between Europe and Asia on the 
west, but he expected that one would reach the coast 
of Asia about where he subsequently found the 
shores of the New World. 

Vague reports of the great island d£ Japan, sit- 



STRUGGLES OF HIS EaRLY LIFE. I9 

uated just off the eastern coast of the Asiatic con- 
tinent, had reached Europe. Columbus thought that 
he should find it about where he afterward discovered 
the island of Cuba. He was eminently a religious 
man. Notwithstanding the fanaticism of those daya 
of darkness, it cannot be doubted that there were 
many souls inspired with the most exalted principles 
of religious enthusiasm. 

" These vast realms," said Columbus, " are peo- 
pled with immortal beings, for whose redemption 
Christ, the Son of God, has made an atoning sacrifice. 
It is the mission which God has assigned to me to 
search them out, and to carry to them the Gospel of 
Salvation. The wealth of the Indies is proverbial. I 
shall find boundless riches there. With these treas- 
ures, we can raise armies. With these armies, we 
can rescue the sepulchre of the Saviour of the world 
from the hands of infidels who dishonor it." 

Columbus was poor. It was entirely out of his 
power to fit out an expedition for so momentous a 
tour of discovery. Most people deemed him a half- 
crazed visionary. His plan was considered as aleurcl 
as a proposition would now be regarded to visit the 
moon. It was in vain to apply to wealthy individ- 
uals. Still he found some men of intelligence who 
examined his plans and pronounced them worthy oi 
serious consideration. 



20 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

His hope was that, by the aid of such testimcv 
nials, he could secure the cooperation of some one 
of the courts of Europe. A sovereign state could 
easily supply the means, and could confer upon him 
that dignity and that authority which he deemed 
essential to the accomplishment of his plans. The 
court, in return, would acquire great wealth and 
power, with renown, which would cause it to be 
envied by all Europe.* 

He applied first to the Portuguese Government. 
King John II. gave him a respectful audience, and 
listened attentively and apparently with much in- 
terest to his plans. Columbus by no means consid- 
ered himself a humble suppliant at the foot of roy- 
alty. He considered himself a man to whom God 
had communicated thoughts which would aggrandize 
the riches and fame of the loftiest monarch, and which 

* It is worthy of observation that while Mr. Goodrich, after a very 
careful examination of the life of Columbus pronounces him to be 
mean, selfish, perfidious, and cruel. Mr. Helps, after an equally close 
scrutiny of his career, writes : 

" There was great simplicity about him., and much loyalty and ven- 
eration. He was as magnanimous as it was possible for so sensitive 
ftnd impassioned a person to be. He was humane, self-denying, and 
tourteoAS. He had an intellect of that largely inquiring kind which 
may remind us of our great English philosopher, Bacon. He was 
singularly resolute and enduring. He was rapt in his designs, having 
evei a ringing m his ears of great projects, making him deaf to much 
that prudence might have heeded ; one to be loved by those near him, 
and likely to inspire favor and respect." — Li/i of Columbus vy A.-thoJ 
Helps, p. 54. 



STRUGGLES OF HIS EARLY LIFE. 2\ 

would cause a new era to dawn upon the world. He 
demanded, in requital of all his services, that he 
should be appointed Viceroy of the realms he might 
discover, and that he should receive one-tenth of the 
profits which might accrue. ♦ 

While residing at Lisbon, he attended religious 
service at the chapel of the Convent of All Saints 
Here he became acquainted with an Italian lady, by 
the name of Dona Felipa, who was residing with her 
widowed mother. She was of high birth, but impov- 
erished in fortune. Their marriage ere long ensued 
It seems to have been a very happy union untL 
death separated them. They had one son, Diego. 

The king considered these demands as extrava- 
gant. Columbus was a poor and obscure sea-captain, 
without rank or money or friends. And yet the 
strange, earnest man, with his wild enthusiasm, was 
expecting to leap, at once, into the rank of kings. 
The monarch politely bowed the dismissal of the 
ambitious sea-captain from his audience room. 

But the dignified and solemn demeanor of the 
man, and the entire confidence he manifested in the 
correctness of his views, deeply impressed the mind 
of the king. He could not shut out the thoughts 
which had been presented to him. After revolving 
the matter, for some time, he summoned a council 
of the most scientific men in Lisbon, and presented 



22 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

the subject to them. They met in careful delibera- 
tion. Some of the most eminent men of the coun- 
cil pronounced in favor of the views of Columbus 
But the decision of the majority was decidedly 
against them. They reported to the king, that his 
plans were so visionary as to be unworthy of further 
consideration. 

Still the king was not satisfied. The impression 
made upon his mind was too strong to be thus easily 
laid aside. And the fact that some of the most 
eminent philosophers accepted the suggestions of 
Columbus, contributed to diminish the influence ol 
the report. The king then stooped to an exceed- 
ingly dishonorable measure. He fitted out a secret 
expedition, ostensibly to the Cape Verde Islands. 
Availing himself of all the information he had ob- 
tained from Columbus, he gave the captain private 
instructions to push boldly on, in the track which 
Columbus had marked out : hoping thus to steal the 
discovery. The captain obeyed these directions. 
But his sailors became alarmed. They were lost in 
unknown seas, and were going they knew not where. 
A terrible Atlantic tempest arose. This capped the 
climax of their fears. With united clamor they 
refused any longer to brave such perils. The cap- 
tain was compelled to yield and to return. 

CoUimbus was informed of this treachery. His 



STRUGGLES OF HIS EARLY LIFE. 23 

Indignation was greatly aroused. With his anger 
there were blended emotions of disappointment and 
sadness, that the royal-court, to which he had been 
accustomed to look with such reverence, could treat 
him so perfidiously. 

He was then a widower, with an only child, 
Diego. Devoting his time to study and to the fur- 
therance of his plans of exploration, he had no 
leisure to attend to his own pecuniary interests. A 
humble support was gained by making and selling 
charts. Taking his child with him, he set out for 
Genoa, the home of his boyhood. Here he was 
doomed to experience the truth of the adage, that 
* A prophet is not without honor save in his own 
country and in his own house." 

He applied to the Genoese Government to aid 
him in an undertaking, which not only the general 
voice of the community had pronounced to be fanat- 
ical, but which the assembled philosophers of Lis- 
bon had denounced as unworthy of notice. 

** And who is this Christopher Columbus?" it 
was asked. " Why, he is a sailor of this city, " was 
the reply ; *' the son of Dominico Colombo, a woof 
':omber. He has two brothers and a sister, residing 
here in humble circumstances." 

This settled the question in the proud court of 
Genoa. The application of Columbus was contempt 



24 CHRISTOPHER COLJMBUS. 

uously rejected. He could not even obtain a re- 
spectful hearing. He was now in deep poverty. 
Hope and his inborn energies alone were left to 
sustain him. After revolving many plans in his 
mind, he finally decided to try his fortune in the 
court of Spain. 

Taking his son Diego with him, he embarked in 
a coasting vessel at Genoa, and after a short cruise 
landed at Palos, a small Spanish sea-port at the mouth 
of the River Tinto. Ferdinand and Isabella were 
then engaged in a very desperate warfare against the 
Moors. They were both at that time with their army 
near Cordova, at the distance of nearly one hundred 
miles north-east of Palos. All-absorbed as their 
energies were in the conduct of the war, it was an 
unpropitious moment in which to attempt to enlist 
them in an expensive and doubtful enterprise. 

Columbus, with a light purse and a heavy heart, 
set out on foot to traverse the weary leagues which 
separated him from the royal camp. He was pale, 
thin, and care-worn in aspect. His garments were 
thread- bare. He had no luggage to encumber him, 
but a small package at his side. Little Diego walked, 
holding his father's hand. 

They had advanced but about a mile and a half 
from the village of Palos, when they came to a mas- 
sive stone convent. Columbus was a devout man. 



STRUGGLES OF HIS EARLY LIFE. 2$ 

cordially accepting Christianity as developed in the 
rituals and ceremonials of that age. The monks 
v/ere regarded by him with great reverence. 

Diego was hungry and thirsty. His father 
ki ocked at the door of the convent, and asked for a 
cup of water and slice of bread for his child. 

It so chanced that the prior of the convent at 
that moment came to the door. The polite address, 
the dignified demeanor, and the intellectual features 
of the stranger deeply impressed him. He invited 
Columbus to walk in, entered into conversation with 
him, and became not only intensely interested in the 
novel views which he advanced, but, by the cogency 
of his reasoning was quite convinced that they must 
be true. He detained Columbus for several days, 
entertained him with all the hospitality the convent 
could furnish, and invited, to meet him, a neigh- 
boring physician, who was eminent for his scientific 
attainments. 

In the quiet cloisters of the convent of La Rabida, 
Columbus, the prior, and the physician, spent many 
hours in discussing the question whether this world 
was a globe or a flat expanse ; and whether by sail- 
ing west it were possible to reach the shore of the 
Asiatic continent, which was far away in the east. 

The prior of the convent was a man of learning 
and, as was frequently the case in those days, was of 

2 



26 CHRISTOIHER COLUMBUS. 

high rank, and of influence at court. He became 
so deeply interested in Columbus and his enterprise, 
that he persuaded him to leave his son Diego at Ihc 
:onvent, to be educated, and gave him letters of 
intiOf Miction to the confessor, or, as we should sayt 
the ciiaplain of Queen Isabella. 

Cheered by this visit, and by the ample provision 
which had been made for his child, Columbus, with 
much more buoyant spirits, resumed his journey to 
Cordova. 

It may be proper here to mention, that Mr. Ir- 
ving, in the later editions of the Life of Columbus, 
accepts the statement of Navarrete, that Columbus, 
upon his arrival in Spain first visited the Duke of 
Medina Sidonia. The splendor of the enterprise 
which Columbus proposed, for a time charmed the 
duke. But upon more sober reflection he rejected 
the scheme as the dream of an enthusiast. 

Columbus then, it is said, repaired to the Duke ot 
Medina Celi. Here also his first reception was fa- 
vorable. The duke was on the point of equipping 
three or four vessels for the expedition, when it oc- 
curred to him that the Spanish sovereigns might be 
displeased at his undertaking so regal an enterprise 
on his own account. He therefore dismissed Colum- 
bus, but he furnished him with a letter to Queen 
Isabella, strongly recommending his plans to her 



STRUGGLES OF HIS EARLY LI* R. 2^ 

attention. The queen returned a favorable reply, 
and requested that Columbus should be sent to her. 
He went, bearing a letter from the duke. 

If this statement be accepted, the visit to the con- 
vent of La Rabida must have taken place some time 
afterward. 

Wonderful was the military display which met 
the eye of Columbus at the camp at Cordova. The 
splendors of the courts of both Castile and Aragon 
were there assembled. All the chivalry of Spain 
were congregated on that extended field, magnifi- 
cently mounted, with gleaming armor and gorgeous 
retinue. The tents, as of an immense city, were 
spread around. Glittering banners and waving 
plumes were everywhere to be seen, and the music 
of martial bands filled the air. 

But all this pomp was nothing to Columbus, com- 
pared with the themes which engrossed his mind. 
He presented his letter to Isabella's chaplain, whose 
name was Fernando Talavera. He was a haughty 
prelate, cold and reserved. He received Columbus 
scarcely with civility, listened with evident reluc- 
tance to a recital of the plan he had to propose, and 
dismissed him, saying: 

" I should deem it a great intrusion to present so 
chimerical a project to her majesty, when oppressed 
by all the cares of this campaign." 



28 CHRISTOPHER CC. LUM^US. 

The appearance of Columbus was anjthlrg but 
imposing. He was poor, shabbily dressed, and down* 
cast with disappointment. But the rumor of his 
plans had filled the camp. The courtiers pointed 
derisively to the thread-bare adventurer, as one who 
had realms boundless in extent, and inhabited by 
millions, which he wished to present to the sovereigns 
of Spain.* 

Columbus knew not what to do or where to go. 
He lingered at Cordova while the Spanish army 
advanced to attack the last foot-hold of the Moors 
in the province of Granada. He felt assured that 
victory would crown the royal banners, and that then 
perhaps there might be an opportunity for his appeal. 
In the autumn Ferdinand and Isabella returned in 
triumph. They soon established their court, for the 
winter, at Salamanca, nearly three hundred miles dis- 
tant. In the meantime Columbus, unable to obtain 
an audience with the queen, earned a frugal support 
by designing maps, charts, and plans. 

The scenes which were transpiring at Cordova 
and its vicinity had drawn to that point the most 

* The only probable way of accounting for the extent of these de- 
mands, and his perseverance in making them, even to the risk of total 
fiiilure, is that the discovery of the Indies was but a step, in his mindj 
to the greater undertakings, as they seemed to him, which he had in 
riew, of going to Jer isalem with an army and making another crusads.' 
—Helps* Columbus, p. 72. 



STRUGGLES OF HIS EARLY LIFE. 2g 

illustrious men, from all parts of Spain. This gave 
Columbus the opportunity to approach the most 
philosophic minds. Thinking men were deeply im* 
pressed with the dignity of his bearing, the pro- 
foundness of his convictions, and the varied informa- 
tior^ and conversational eloquence with which he ad- 
vocated his views. Occasionally he met with one 
who cheered him with approval. 

A gentleman of intelligence and wealth became 
so much interested in Columbus that he invited 
him to his house as his guest. This gentleman 
introduced him to the pope's nuncio, Antonio Geral- 
dini, and to other gentlemen of much distinction in 
court and state. Mr. Irving writes: 

" While thus lingering in idle suspense in Cor- 
dova, he became attached to a lady of the city, 
Beatrix Enriquez by name, of a noble family, though 
in reduced circumstances. Their connection was 
not sanctioned by marriage, yet he cherished senti- 
ments of respect and tenderness for her to his dying 
day. She was the mother of his second son, Fer- 
nando, born in the following year, 1487, whom he 
always treated on terms of perfect equality with his 
legitimate son Diego, and who, after his death, 
became his historian.'* 

Columbus followed the court to Salamanca 
Here he was introduced to the Archbishop of Toledo, 



.„ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

grand cardinal of Spain. This illustrious prelate had 
such influence with the king and queen that he was 
called the third king. Gradually, he was so im- 
pressed by the force of the arguments with whicl 
Columbus urged his views, that he consented to 
introduce him to the royal presence. 

The first audience was probably with Ferdinand. 
The splendors of royalty could not overawe Co- 
lumbus. He deemed himself the heaven-appointed 
instrument to unfold a new era to the human race. 
With great eloquence he urged his cause. The 
king was a shrewd, sagacious man, who was not at 
all likely to be influenced by romantic dreams. He 
listened, with philosophic coolness, to the enthusias- 
tic advocate. 

The ambition of the king was strongly excited 
by the idea of the grandeur w^hich would redound 
to Spain, if successful in making discoveries and 
acquisitions so magnificent. The achievement 
would give Spain the pre-eminence over all other 
nations. But Ferdinand was a very cautious man, 
of slow deliberation. He summoned a council of 
the most learned scholars of Spain, to hold an inter- 
view with Columbus, carefully examine his plans, 
And report to him their opinion. 

The conference was held in the Dominican con« 
vent ot St. Stephen, at Salamanca. The assembly 



STRUGGLES OF HIS EARLY LIFE. $1 

summoned by the call of royalty, was imposing in 
numbers and dignity. It was composed of profes 
sors in the universities, the highest dignitaries of the 
chjrch and statesmen of prominent rank. Before 
such an array, of the most learned astronomers ar.d 
cosmographers of the kingdom, any ordinary man 
would shrink to appear. Columbus rejoiced in the 
opportunity. He was so fully convinced of the cor- 
rectness of his views, that he could cherish no doubt 
that ^uch intelligent men would give them their 
approval. 

But he soon found, greatly to his chagrin, that 
even in the minds of the most learned men, prejudice 
and bigotry could triumph over all the powers of 
reason. The philosophers and the clergy alike as- 
sailed him with arguments which now provoke the 
derision even of the most common minds. The fol- 
lowing passage, from Lactantius, was quoted as a 
triumphant refutation of the statement of Colum 
bus, that the world was round. 

'* Is there any one so foolish as to believe that 
there are antipodes, with their feet opposite to ours 
people who walk with their heels upward and theii 
heads hani^nq^ down ? That there is a part ot the 
world in which all things are topsy turvy ; where the 
trees grow with their branches downward, and where 
it rains, hails, and snows upward ? The idea of the 



32 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

roundness of the earth was the cause of the inventing 
this fable of the antipodes, with their heels in "the 
air; for these philosophers, having once erred, go on 
in their absurdities, defending one with another." 

The views of Columbus were denounced, not 
only as unphilosophical but also as unscriptural. 
It was said that to maintain that there were inhabi- 
tants on the other side of the globe, would impeach 
the veracity of the Scriptures. The Bible stated 
that all the inhabitants of the world were descended 
from Adam. But it was impossible that any of his 
descendants could have wandered so far. 

Again it was argued that, admitting the world to 
be round, should a ship ever succeed in getting to 
the other side, it could never return ; since no con- 
ceivable force of wind could drive the ship back over 
the immense rotundity of the globe.* 

To these theological and philosophical arguments, 
Columbus returned the answers with which the 
most unintelligent are familiar at the present day. 
Though the convention reported against him, there 
were many individual members who were deeply 

* "One learned man of the number, Diego de Deza, aflorwaiJ 
bish »p of Seville, appreciated the elocjuent and lucid reasonings of 
the adventurer, and, aiding him with his own powers of language and 
erudition, not only gained for him a hearing, but won upon the judg. 
mcnts of the most learned men of the council." — Intro luction of Let 
irrsof Columbus, by R. H. Major, p. 51. 



STRUGGLES OF HIS EARLY LIFE. 33 

Impressed by his reasoning. Among others was 
Diego de Deza, afterward Archbishop of Seville 
With all his powers, he supported the cause of 
Columbus, but in vain. The majority reported that 
it was both false and heretical to assume that land 
could be found by sailing west from Europe. And 
this was made by one '.f the most learned bodies 
in the world, only about four hundred years ago. 



CHAPTER 11. 

First Voyage. 

ColuiTiDus at Cordova — Power of the Feudal Nobility — Nevv Rejeo 
tious — Return to La Rabida — Hopes revived — Journey of the 
Prior — Persistent Demands of Columbus — Interview with Isa- 
bella — The Dismissal — The Recall — The Hour of Triumph 
— Exultant return to Palos — Fitting out the Expedition — Its 
Character — Departure of the Fleet. 

Columbus was bitterly disappointed at the result 
of the convention at Salamanca. But the conference 
had made his scheme known, and had caused it to 
be talked about throughout all Spain. Though the 
wits assailed the unsuccessful adventurer with all 
sorts of jests, there were many individuals, of high 
intelligence, who were convinced that his sugges- 
tions ought not to be dismissed with a sneer. 

While this important question was under discus- 
sion, Columbus was regarded as an attache to th^ 
court. It was a period of great political agitation 
All minds were engrossed bv the fierce war with the 
Moors, which still continued to rage. During the 
summei of 1487, the king and queen were with the 
arm}- conducting the memorable siege of Malaga. 



FIRST VOYAGE. 35 

The tall form of Columbus could be seen, thought- 
fully, despondingly, passing from tent to tent, 
urging his claim wherever he could find a listening 
car. There was something very touching in the 
aspect of this plain man, in his simple attire, but 
with his strikingly dignified demeanor, moving 
silently about, amidst the pomp and pageantry of 
these military movements. 

In September, Malaga having surrendered, the 
court returned to Cordova. Then for eighteen 
months it was constantly on the move, still engaged 
in the great conflict. Columbus accompanied the 
court, in all its changes of place, still clinging to the 
hope, in which he was encouraged by a few devoted 
friends, that he might again obtain access to the 
royal ear. In the spring of 1489, through the influ- 
ence of these friends, he succeeded in obtaining an 
order from Ferdinand, for the assembling of another 
conference of philosophers and ecclesiastics, at Se- 
ville. Again, he was doomed to disappointment. 
The dreadful war received a new impulse. Terrible 
battles, with tumult, and carnage, and woe, ensued. 
All energies were engrossed. Not a thought could 
be given to Columbus and his wild, doubtful schemes. 

A weary year passed away. During these sad 
months Columbus lingered at Cordova. He was, 
however, supported at the expense of the court 



30 CllRlSTUl'ilER CULUMBUS. 

With the opening spring, Ferdinand and Isabella, 
were engaged inpreparations for one of the grandest 
enterprises of the war — the siege of Granada 
Columbus made a desperate effort to gain a hearing 
before tiie court advanced upon this all-important 
movement ; but he received the disheartening reply, 
that the sovereigns could pay no more attention to 
him until the conclusion of the campaign. The 
blow fell hea\ily upon Columbus. But it did not 
prostrate him. His indomitable spirit was not thus 
to be plunged into despair. He sat down cahnh-, 
and inquired of himself what was to be his next 
resource. 

These were the days of feudal wealth and power. 
The eminences of Spain were dotted with the mas 
sive castles oi dukes and barons. According to some 
accounts, and as it seems to the writer tiie most 
probable account, it was at this time that Columbus 
appealed to the Duke of Medina Sidonia. This 
powerful lord, whose castle was an almost impreg- 
nable fortress, of stone and iron, was one of the most 
illustrious o( the nobles of Europe. He rivalled kings 
in the splendor of his court and equipage. He had, 
from his own means, furnished the monarchs with 
quite an army of cavaliers, with a hundred vessels of 
war, and with a large sum of money. We have 
already given an account of the result of the visit oi 



FIRST VOYAGE. 37 

Columbus to the castle of the duke, and of his sub- 
sequent appeal to the almost equally powerful noble 
the Duke of Medina Cell. 

Thus baffled, Columbus decided to try his fortune 
at the court of France. He had by this time gained 
a number of influential and wealthy friends, who 
undoubtedly opened their purses to his moderate 
wants. Before crossing the Pyrenees, on his long 
journey to the French capital, he set out to visit his 
son Diego, at the convent of La Rabida, near Palos. 
It would seem that he took this journey on foot, or 
on the mule's back. Whatever small sums of gold 
may have been given him by his friends, it is certain 
that he found it necessary to practise the most rigid 
economy. He had a long and expensive journey 
before him, and it was very uncertain what recep- 
tion he might meet with in the proud court of the 
French king. 

Columbus stood at the door of the convent, in 
very humble garb, and covered with the dust of 
tiavel But neither thread-bare clothing nor dust 
could conceal the native majesty of the man. Hf 
*Aas one of nature's noblemen, who did not requiie 
in vindication of his claims, the tinsel of costly dress 
Seven years of incessant toil and disappointment had 
passed away since he first stood at the door of thai 
convent to ask for a cup of water for his thirsty child 



3?$ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

These anxieties and toils had bent his frame and 
whitened his lucks. His cheeks were ploughed with 
those furrows which intense and disappointing 
thoughts are so prone to give. 

The worthy prior of the convent received the 
wa}-worn adventurer with truly fraternal kindness 
He had become fully convinced that the views of 
Columbus were rational, and that they merited the 
immediate and earnest attention of the Spanish 
court. When he ascertained that Columbus contem- 
plated a visit to France, to offer his magnificent plans 
to the French court, Lis spirit of patriotism was 
aroused and intense solicitude excited, lest Spain 
should lose the renown of the great discovery. He 
immediately summoned to the convent the learned 
physician to whom we have before alluded, and com- 
municated to him his fears. Many other influential 
friends were invited in, to confer with Columbus upon 
the all-important question, which the prior deemed so 
vital to the glory of Spain. 

There was residing in the neighborhood a gen- 
tleman, illustrious for his family, his wealth, and for 
his own renown in maritime adventure^. This man, 
Martin Alonzo Pinzon, was capable, from his own 
experience, ef appreciating the force of the argu- 
ments presented by Columbus. Warmly he espoused 
his cause, and pledged to him not only his pecuniary 



FIRST VOYAGE. 39 

support, but abo his influence in again bringing the 
question before their majesties Ferdinand and Isa- 
bella. The prior of the convent had, in foimer years, 
been chaplain of the queen. He wrote to her in 
very urgent terms ; pleading that Spain might not 
lose so glorious an opportunity of rising to pre- 
eminence among all the nations. 

These were not the days of stage-coaches and 
postal facilities. An old worn-out sailor was in- 
trusted with the letter, and mounted upon a mule, 
was sent to Santa Fe, where the court then resided, 
while conducting the siege of Granada. The distance 
was about one hundred and fifty miles. The courier 
safely accomplished the journey, and presented the 
letter to the queen. Isabella, notwithstanding all 
the cares which then engrossed her mind, was deeply 
impressed by its contents. She returned an encour- 
aging answer, and urged her esteemed friend, the 
prior, immediately to come and see her. 

•When this answer was brought back, it revived 
new hopes in the heart of Columbus^ and created 
Intense joy throughout the little coterie at La Ra- 
bida. It was mid-winter, and chilling breezes swept 
the bleak mountains and treeless plains, even ot 
southern Spain. But the worthy prior at once 
mounted his mule, and jogged along the lon(*ly 
road toward the court of his sovereign. 



40 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

The queen received her former chaplain even affeC' 
tionately. Though reserved and undemonstrative 
in her manners, there slumbered, beneath this cold 
exterior, warm affections. She listened sympathiz- 
ingly to the arguments of the prior. He was a learned 
man, and from his intimacy with Columbus, was fully 
prepared to present his views in the strongest light; 
The queen had never before paid much attention to 
the subject ; for though it had been presented to the 
king, and to the convention of scholars, the appeal 
had not been directed to her personally. 

It will be remembered that Ferdinand was the 
King of Aragon only. Isabella was the sovereign 
queen of Castile, with her own revenue, her own 
army, and her own court. She promptly decided to 
take Columbus under her protection, and sent 
for him immediately to repair to Sante Fe. As he 
was thus called upon to act in obedience to the order 
of the queen, she forwarded to him a sufficient sum 
of money to enable him to purchase a mule, to pro- 
vide himself with suitable clothing for his appear 
ance at court, and to pay the expense of the journey 

When the prior returned to La Rabida, with these 
joyful tidings, great was the rejoicing there ; and new 
hopes were infused into the world weary heart of 
Columbus. A fine mule was bought, the traveller 
was neatly clad, and almost with renewed youth 



FIRST VOYAGE. 41 

buoyed up b} sanguine hopes, he was soon trotting 
over the hills, and through sheltered valleys, of beau- 
tiful Andalusia. He arrived at Granada just in time 
to see the Moorish banners torn down from the 
walls of the Alhambra,and the united flags of Ferdi- 
nand and Isabella unfurled in their stead. It was 
the proudest hour in the reign of these two illus- 
trious sovereigns, and was deemed the most glorious 
to the arms of Spain. 

It was in the midst of these national rejoicings, 
that Columbus presented himself before Queen Isa- 
bella. He did not assume the attitude of a humble 
suppliant, but that of a heaven-sent ambassador, 
who had immense gifts to confer, in requital for 
trifling favors received, to aid him in the accomplish- 
ment of his plans. In respectful words, he said to 
the queen : 

" I wish only for a few ships and a few sailors, to 
traverse between two and three thousand miles of 
the ocean to the west. I will thus point out to your 
majesty a new and short route to India, and will re- 
veal hitherto unknown nations, majestic in wealth 
\id power. In return I ask only that I may b^ 
appointed Viceroy over the realms I may discover, 
and that I shall receive one-tenth of the profits whi, h 
may accrue." 

The courtiers of the queen were astonished al 



42 CHRISTOPHER ^OLUMBUS. 

what they deemed the extravagance and r,udacity of 
the demands of Columbus. In their view he was 
but an obscure sea-captain, penniless and friendless, 
seeking the assistance of the queen to enable him 
to enter upon a maritime expedition. And \et he 
was demanding, in recompense, wealth and honors 
which would place him next in rank to the crown. 
Influenced by these representations of influential 
members of her court, the queen summoned Colum- 
bus again before her, and offered him more moderate 
terms. But he was inflexible- He would make no 
abatement of the requirements he had put forth. 
His proud spirit revolted from the idea of embarking 
on his glorious expedition as a mere hireling employe 
of a prince. Isabella, perhaps a little annoyed by 
his refusal, dismissed Columbus and his claims.* 

This was the darkest hour in the career of the 
great discoverer. No day star appeared in his hori- 
zon, the harbinger of a possible dawn. Sadly he 
placed his saddle upon the back of his mule, and 
slowly, despondingly, commenced his journey back 
to his friends at La Rabida. He was revolving in 

• II is said by some tha' CDlumbus, discouraged by his repulse a' 
the c urt of Ferdinana and Isabella, sent his brother Bartholonif v to 
EnglarJ, to present his plans to Henry VII. Bartholomew \va> cap- 
tured by pirates, and it was some time before he obtained his release. 
He then presented his plans. The king eagerly accepted them. Bifi 
it was too late. Columbus had already engaged in the service cf 
Isabella — History' of Columbus, by Aaruii Goodrich, p. jS6. 



FIRST VOYAGE. 43 

his mind whether it were worth his while to go to 
France, and offer his often rejected services there. 

But as he left the cabinet of the queen, she was 
greatly troubled. The character of the man. and the 
grandeur of his views, had produced a profound 
impression upon her mind. She could not shut out 
the thoughts he had introduced. As she contem- 
plated the loss to Spain, should any other court 
accept his services, and his views prove a realit}', she 
was exceedingly troubled. It so chanced that just 
at that moment, Ferdinand entered her cabinet. 
She expressed to him her solicitude. He replied : 

*• The ro>'al finances are absolutely drained by 
this war." Isabella was silent for a moment ponder- 
ing the question. She then seemed inspired by a 
sudden and unalterable resolve. With enthusiasm 
she exclaimed : 

" I will undertake the enterprise for my own 
crown of Castile, by the pledge of my own private 
jewels, to raise the needed funds.* 

* Mr. Goodrich scouts the idea advanced by the biographers oi 
iTolum'ius, that the queen was so poor that she had :.■> pawn her jewels 
to fit out two small vessels for such an enterprise. He says : 

" Thii story is as ah>i»i-d as many others coined by Ferdinand to 
embe!lish the history of his fadier. The coffers of >pain were then 
well hlled. The trea>ury of the queen had received an extraordin uy 
increase from her perfidious conduct toward the Moors of Malaga, 
from whom she had obtained millions." — Hiitcty of Cclumbus, tj 
\aron Goodrich p. I90, 



44 CHRISTOrHER COLUMBUS. 

The day star had arisen upon Columbus ; though 
looking down, not up, he had not seen it. At thai 
moment he was toiling along through the sand> 
having advanced but a few miles on his journey 
As he was entering a gloomy defile among the 
mountains, he heard a voice calling behind him 
Turning his head, he saw a courier approaching in 
hot haste. The messenger requested him, in the 
name of the queen, to return. 

For a moment Columbus hesitated whether to 

obey the summons. For weary years he had <en- 

countered nothing but discouragement, and he was 

led entirely to distrust the Spanish court. It seemed 

to him that both the sovereigns, while unwilling to 

aid him in his enterprise, were still more unwilling 

that he should enter into the service of any other 

monarch, thus rendering it possible that some other 

crown might gain the glory which Spain had rejected. 

Assured, however, by the courier, that the queen 

was entirely in earnest to see him again, he turned 

his mule and spurred back to hold another interview 

with Isabella.* 

* " And now, finally, Columbus determined to go to France, inc 
indeed had actually set off one day in Jauuary of the year 1492 whe:* 
Luis de Santangel, receiver of the ecclesiastical revenues of tl:we. rrowii 
of Aragon, a person much devoted to the plans of Columbus, ad- 
dressed the queen with all the energy which a man throws int5 l.is 
words when he is awaie that it is his last time for speaking in fa\(f 
of a thing which he has n:uph it heart. He concluded by saytiig 



FIRST VOYAGE. 45 

The qaeen, having once come to a decision, was 
prompt in action. She immediately informed Colum- 
bus that she cordially assented to all his demands, 
and would immediatc'y aid in fitting out a suitable 
expedition. He was appointed Admiral and Viceroy 
of whatever realms he might discover, and was prom- 
ised one-tenth of the profits which might accrue from 
the voyage. Arrangements were however made, at 
the request of Pinzon, that he should be allowed to 
contribute one-eighth of the expenses, and receive 
one eighth of the gains. The 'momentous question 
was thus finally settled. Columbus set out on his 
return to Palos, probably the happiest man in the 
world. Little did he then imagine the tempestuous 
career of disappointments, indignities, and woes, which 
eventually brought down his gray hairs in so'-row to 
the grave.* 

A royal decree was immediately issued, for the 
town of Palos to furnish two small vessels, suitably 

* tha* all the aid Columbus wanted to set the expedition afloat was 
but a million of maravedi, equivralent to about £308 English money 
of the period.' 

" These well-addressed arguments, falling in as they did with 
•'.h)se of Quintanilla, the treasurer, who had great influence with the 
aueen, prevailed." — Helps' Li/e of Columbus, p. 74. 

" Tl,ere is considerable diversity in the statement of the amount, 
if monev required. Mr. Helps wriies : 

*' From an entry .n an account book belonging to the Bishopi c of 
Palencia, it appears that one million one hundred and forty thousand 
fjiaravedi were advanced by Santangel, in May 1492, being the sum he 



46 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBU55. 

victualle(3 and manned, for the voyage. Columbus 
himself furnished another, through his friend Pinzon, 
so that he had three, with which to commence his 
enterprise. Two of these vessels were light barks., 
such as in those days were called caravels. They 
were built with cabins for the officers, and forecastles 
for the crew, but without a general deck. The third 
vessel was called the Santa Maria. This was the 
Admiral's ship, and was decked throughout. Sixteen 
persons composed the ship's company. The Pinto 
was commanded by Martin Alonzo Pinzon, with a 
crew of thirty men. The Nina was manned by 
twenty-four sailors, with Vincent Yanez Pinzon a.'= 
commander. The vessels were all of small size 
probably of not more than one hundred tons bur- 
den ; therefore not larger than the American yachts, 
whose ocean-race from New York to Cowes was 
regarded as an example of immense hardihood, even 

lent for paying the caravels which their highnesses ordered lo go as the 
armada to the Indies, and for paying Christopher Columbus, who goes 
in said armada." Helps' Life of Colun^bus, p. 80. 

It i? said that Isabella offered, if needful, to pledge her jewels, bul 
not that she actually did pledge them. Captain Galardi, secretary of 
♦he iHikc of Veraguas, writing to the duke in the year 1666, upon the 
personal history of ColumbuS; says : 

" As the conquest of Grenada had exhauster the finances of Ferdi- 
nand and Isabella, Luis de Santangel, secretary of Ferdinand, lent, foi 
the expedition, sixteen thousand ducats." 

A ducat was worth about five dollars. Thus the sum famished 
amounted to about sixty-four thousand dollars. Surely, this was a 
very trifling sum ic ^^haust the treasury of the sovereigns of Spain, 



FIRST VOYAGE. 4; 

in the year 1867. But Columbus considered them 
very suitable for the undertaking. The whole com- 
pany entermg upon this expedition amounted to 
one hundred and twenty persons.* 

In popular estimation, the enterprise was perilous 
in the extreme, and almost sacrilegious, tempting 
Providence. It was deemed far more foolhardy 
than the attempt to cross the ocean in a balloon 
would now be considered. Consequently, it was 
exceedingly difficult to engage a crew. At length 
the government was compelled to resort to force, and 
to impress seamen for the cruise.f 

It was early in the morning of the 3d of Au- 
gust, 1492, just as the sun was rising over the billows 
of the ocean, when the little fleet spread its sails for 
the most adventurous and momentous voyage ever 
recorded in the history of this world. In the mind 
of Columbus, the religious element largely prevailed 
in the conception of the enterprise. A sermon was 
preached in the cathedral. Anthems of supplication 
and praise were sung. Earnest prayers were offered ; 

* Helps' "Columbus," p. 81. 

f " A proclamation of immunity from civil and criminal proces* 
o persons taking service in the expedition, was issued at the same 
';me. The ship of Columbu^ wtis therefore a refuge for criminals 
ind runaway debtors ; a Cave of Adullam for the discontented and 
rh*» desperate. To have to deal with such a community was not 
one of the least of Columbus's diff :ulties."— /^yjr 0/ Columbus, bf 
Arthur Helps, p. 80. 



48 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUb. 

and the whole population of the Httle place gathered 
in the sanctuary, and gazed solemnly upon the spec- 
tacle, as the officers and the crew, upon their knees, 
received the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 

Emotions were excited too deep for mirth 
There was no revelry ; no voice uttered a huzza : 
the robed priests accompanied the seamen to theif 
boats. As the sails were unfurled, and the frail ves- 
sels with a favoring breeze sought the distant hori- 
zon, tears, lamentations, and sad forebodings op 
pressed the hearts of all v/ho were left behind.' 



* 



* It may be well to listen to the views of Mr. Goodrich on this 
occasion. He writes, in his angry assailment of the discoverer 
"Columbus, on arriving at Palos with his orders, did not meet with 
an enthusiastic reception from the inhabitants. They were unwilling 
to follow an unknown adventurer on a long vo)age. Two of ihb 
ships were secretly scuttled. The delay and difhculty increased, and 
threatened seriously to impede the undertaking, when the Pinzons, 
those brave brothers, seeing how matters stood, and having part of 
their fortunes eml?arked in the enterprise, came forward, and offered 
each to take command of a caravel. The men of Palos, by whom the 
Pinzons were held in grefct esteem, now came forward willingly. 
Two small caravels, the Pinta and the iVina, were commanded 
respectively by Martin Alonzo and Vincent Yanez Pinzon. The Sj. 
Miitv. a somewhat larger vessel, equipped at the expense of the Pin- 
zons. was under the ccnnmand of the henceforth ' Admiral Don Chiis 
topher Cclumbus ' ; like all new-born nobility, his right to which titlf 
iei'he- he nrr his son will ever forget. This prospective enjoyment of 
a T-ondercus title, is amusing, in view of the ultimate grandeur of hii 
command ; three small vessels, ordinary fishing-smacks of from thirt} 
to sixty tons burden, two of them without decks ; and for the best of 
these he is indebted to the man whom he will afterward gratefullj 
term, 'one Pinzon.'" — History of the Character and AcKuvements cj 
ike so-calUd Christapher Columbus. By Aaron Goodrich p. 9a 



FIRST VOYAGE. 49 

The first portion of the track which Columbus 
pUi <ued was famiHar to him. He directed his course 
toward the Canary Islands. The wind was fresh and 
fair ; and very propitiously the little fleet ploughed 
tiie waves. The crews of the three vessels were com- 
posed of ignorant and superstitious men, and, as we 
have mentioned, many of them were forced into the 
service. As they beheld the mountains of their 
native land disappearing behind them, their hearts 
failed through fear. It would seem as though 
Columbus stood almost alone in bis enthusiasm, 
aided only by doubting and reluctant followers. 

Very early in the voyage, indications of discon- 
tent, and almost of mutiny, were manifested. On the 
third day out, the rudder of one of the vessels was 
unshipped. Columbus had reason strongly to su;- 
pect that it was intentionally done by some of the 
disaffected seamen. The nautical skill of the com- 
mander soon caused the injury in some degree to be 
repaired. But still the vessel was so far crippled that 
it could only keep up with the others by their shor 
tening sail. A voyage of seven days brought them 
within sight of the Canary Islands They had thus 
accomplished about a thousand miles from the port 
of Palos. Here Columbus was detained three weeks. 
The crippled vessel was condemned as unseaworthy. 
But they found it impossible to obtain another ves- 
3 



^O CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

sel. and they therefore made a new ruddei for the 
Pinta, and endeavored to strengthen her for the 
vo}'age. 

Again, after a detention of three weeks, on the 
6th of September Columbus unfurled the sails. 
He now entered upon unknown seas. The Catiary 
Islands were at the outermost limits of the then 
known world. They had hardly left sight of the 
islands, when a dead calm ensued. P'or three days 
the vessel rolled, without progress, upon the mdssive 
yet glassy undulations of the ocean. Again th*- sea- 
men were terrified. 

On the 9th, a fresh breeze arose, filling the sails, 
and they pressed on their way. It was the morning 
of the Sabbath, a cloudless sky overarched them, 
and the apparently boundless ocean, in all its sublime 
glories, was spread around. But there was no joy on 
board those vessels. Discontented looks alone were 
seen, and murmuring words alone were heard. 
Columbus did everything in his power to remove the 
despondency of the mariners, and to inspire them 
with a portion of his own enthusiasm. Perceiving 
that every league they sailed increased their fears thai 
the\- should never be able to return home, hercsurted 
to the artifice of keeping two records of their daily 
progress. One of these was for his own instruction. 
The other was to be exhibited to the mariners, to 



FIRST VOYAGE. $1 

give them the impression that the distance they had 
passed was much less than in reaHty it was.* Days 
of great anxiety and constant watchfulness passed 
slowly away while Columbus pressed onward with all 
possible speed toward the goal, which he felt so 
confident he should ere long find. 

It is a little singular that he did not expect to 
find land within the distance of about three thousand 
miles. Still he was on an expanse of water which 
had never before been seen by mortal eyes. No one 
could tell what objects might at any point open up 
upon them. 

Columbus was on deck, carefully watching every- 
thing, until the last rays of the evening twilight had 
disappeared. And again, with the earliest dawn of 
the morning he was at the bows of his ship, on the 

* Mr. Goodrich makes the remarkable assertion, that it was not 
the crew, but Columbus, who wished to return. lie writes : 

** Here also explodes anottier popular error founded on the untruth 
fulness of Columbus and those who have sung his praises. It is said 
that the men mutinied, and that the rest of the expedition desired t(i 
return to Spain, but were led on and encouraged by Columbus. 

' Now, as we have stated above, the .S7. Alary was always in the 
rear the others having frequently to lay by for her. It is scarcely 
p"!)bable that the Pinta and Nina would have continued thus iu 
advance, had their commanders wished to have turned back. Besides 
according to the testimony of several witnesses in the celebrated law 
juit of Don Diego, " Columbus against the Crown," Columbus himself 
after sailing some hundred leagues without finding land, wished t« 
return, but was persuaded by the Pinzons to continue the voyage." — 
Life of Columbus, by Aaron Goodrich, p. 131. 



^2 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

watch. The changing color of the sky, the hue of 
the water, the form of the clouds, and the variations 
of the wird, were examined with the closest scrutiny. 
On the night of the 14th of September, a very 
brilliant meteor flamed through the sky, and f^.ll into 
t'le ocean, at a distance of but a few miles from the 
ships. This greatly increased the alarm of the super- 
stitious mariners. 

They struck the trade winds. Day after day 
they were swept alone; from east to west. Again 
the seamen were terrified. They thought they 
should never be able to return. They had reached 
a tropical climate of marvellous salubrity. It was a 
luxury to breathe the softened air. Columbus was 
exceedingly encouraged in meeting masses of float- 
ing sea-weed, which he knew must have been torn 
from shores in the west. On one of these patches 
they caught a live crab. Day after day the steady, 
gentle breeze filled their sails, while the sea, as 
Columbus remarked, " was as calm as the Guadal- 
quiver at Seville.*' 

Indications of approaching land revived the hopes 
of the crew. A rich reward had been promised to 
the one who should first discover the land. On the 
evening of the i8th of September, a large flock 
of land birds was seen, winging their flight toward 
the north-west. Clouds were observed in that direo 



FIRST VOYAGE. 53 

tion, such as usually hang over the land. Columbus 
sounded, but could find no bottom. 

Again the crew began to be alarmed, in view of 
the immense expanse of ocean they were leaving 
between them and their homes. It required all the 
tact and authority of Columbus to quiet their fears. 
Still, indications of approaching land rapidly in- 
creased. Several land birds lighted upon the ship, 
and some so small that it was evident that they 
could not venture far in their flight. Still no bot- 
tom could be found by the sounding line. Another 
dead calm ensued. The ocean was as smooth and 
polished as a mirror, and the meridian sun poured 
down upon them with rays which blistered the 
decks. On the 25th, without any rising of the wind, 
there came on a heavy swell of the sea. It was prob- 
ably the effect of the undulations caused by some 
distant gale. 

The mutinous condition of the crew varied with 
all the changes they encountered. Still Columbus 
maintained a serene and self-confident air. Some 
of the disaffected he soothed with gentle words. 
Some he overawed with menaces, and upon some he 
inflicted signal punishment. Again a gentle breeze 
and fair sprang up, which filled the sails, though it 
scarcely rippled the surtace of the sea. The ships 
kept so near each other that Columbus could easily 



54 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

converse with his companiof officers. While thus 
engaged, a shout was heard from the Pinta. A man 
upon the stern pointed to the south-west, and cried 
out, " Land, land. I claim the reward." All eyes 
were immediately turned in that direction, where 
there was, apparently at about the distance of sixty 
miles, a ridge of cloud-capped mountains. Colum- 
bus fell upon his knees in a prayer of thanksgiving 
and then with his whole crew, repeated the '' Gloria 
in Excelsis," or Glory to God in the highest.^ 

Indescribable enthusiasm inspired the hearts of 
all the crews. They ran up the shrouds, climbed up 
the mast-heads, and all eyes were strained in that 
direction. It was late in the afternoon. The sun 
soon sank behind the mountainous clouds. The 
short twilight of the tropics vanished, and the gloom 
of midnight overspread the ocean. Through the 
night, the ships steered toward the expected land. 
With the earliest dawn, all were upon the deck. To 
their bitter disappointment, an unobstructed horizon 
was spread out before them. Not a vestige even of 
a cloud appeared. Still the breeze was propitious, 
the sea smooth, and the climate delightful. Dol- 
phins sported at their bows, flying-fish leaped upon 

* This fact is stated by Navarette in his * First Voyage of Co 
Inmbus." voL i. 



FIRST VOYAGE. 55 

the deck, and the sailors amused themselves, it is said, 
in swimming around the vessels. 

According to the private reckoning of Columbus, 
he had sailed from the Canary Islands, a distance of 
two thousand and twenty-two miles. But according 
to the reckoning exhibited to the crew, he had passed 
over but one thousand seven hundred and forty 
miles."^ A few days more passed away of slow pro- 
gress, when the spirit of discontent and insubordi- 
nation again began to manifest itself. It was, how- 
ever, soon quelled, by the appearance of large flocks 
of birds, and other indications that they were ap- 
proaching land. 

The eager seamen were frequently giving false 
alarms, mistaking distant clouds for mountain peaks. 

* Such is the statement made by Navarette, vol. I, p. i6. But it 
must be admitted that there is much force in the following statement 
made by Aaron Goodrich, 

" Both the Pinzons were skilful navigators, each of them commanded 
a caravel, and they v/ere generally ahead. They naturally made fre- 
quent observ'ations ; the pilots also could not have been so easily 
deceived. Should we, therefore, give credence to this stoiy, we must 
make the Pinzons, the pilots, and officers, parties to the fraud, an i-m- 
putation for which there is no basis, save the statement of Columbus. 
I>esides, if the latter had thus deceived his crew, it would have ren- 
iered another of his statements futile. On leaving the Canarie?, he 
■Ic^larcd that when they had sailed seven hundred and fifty leagues 
w^est, ihey should reach land. The false reckoning and 'As diminished 
distances, in leading the men to believe that they were farther from 
their destination than the really were, and that the voyage would be 
prolonged beyond their expectations, would therefore have defeated 
^is avowed object." — History of Columbus , p. iq6 



56 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

To prevent this, Columbus issued an order that 
should any one cry out Land ! and land not be dis- 
covered for three days afterward, he should forfeit 
all claim to the reward. It is said about this time 
Columbus entered into an agreement with his crew, 
that he would abandon the enterprise if land were 
not discovered within three days. But there is no 
satisfactory foundation for this statement. It rests 
upon the authority of Oviedo. Fernando, the son 
of Columbus, in his minute history of his father, has 
not mentioned it. It is not alluded to by Bishop 
Las Casas, who was intrusted with the examination 
of the papers of the admiral. Neither Peter Martyr 
nor the Curate of Los Palacios, who were contem- 
porary historians, have mentioned it 

*' Fortunately," writes Mr. Irving, " the journal 
of Columbus, written from day to day with guileless 
simplicity, and all the air of truth, disproves this 
fable, and shows that on the very day previous to 
his discovery he expressed a peremptory determina- 
tion to persevere in defiance of all dangers and 
difficulties." * 

♦ Irvin^s "Columbus," vol. L p. 159 



CHAPTER III. 

Land Discovered. 

TTie Mutinous Crew — The gleam of the torch — The account criti 
cised — Landing at San Salvador — Doubts as to the identity of 
the island — Enchanting scene — Two days on the island — Story 
of the Dead Pilot — Traffic with the Natives — Their Innocence 
and Friendliness — Exploring the island — Uncertainty of the 
language of signs. 

Just as the mutinous crew were becoming des- 
perate, they met with indisputable evidence that 
they must be in the vicinity of land. Fresh weeds 
were found, such as are torn from the banks of rocks 
and rivers. The branch of a thorn tree was picked 
up, with green leaves and berries upon it. They also 
found, most encouraging of all, a piece of plank and 
a staff curiously carved. 

The Admiral invariably had religious service oc 
board his ship, where the Vesper Hymn to the Vir- 
gin was sung. This evening he seemed to be im- 
pressed with even unusual solemnity. Always grave, 
sedate, and thoughtful, his spirit seemed to be over- 
awed by the consciousness that he was on the eve 
of accomplishing his life long desires. In earnest 
3* 



5« CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

tones he addressed the crew, reminding them of the 
protection they had received from God, and assuring 
tlieni that in his judgment, without any doubt, they 
Aere approaching the land very near the point at 
which he had expected to find it. Indeed he as- 
serted that he thought they would make the land 
that very night. He ordered a vigilant watch to be 
kept on the forecastle, and offered, in addition to thr 
rewards promised by the sovereigns, the gift of a 
velvet doublet to the man who should first descry 
the coast. 

With the night, the breeze increased, and very 
rapidly the little fleet ploughed the waves. The 
Pinta was the best sailor of the three, and kept 
a little head. Sixty-seven days had now passed 
since the highlands of Spain had vanished beneath 
the eastern horizon. It was the nth of October, 
1492. The tropical night was cloudless and, bril- 
liant with stars. A gentle and refreshing breeze 
swept the almost unrippled waters. Intense excite- 
ment pervaded the hearts of all on board the three 
ships. Scarcely an e}'e was closed, Columbus took 
liis stand on the bows of his vessel, and with anxious 
glance surveyed the horizon. 

About ten o'clock, he was startled by the faint 
gleam of a torch, far away in the west. For a mo- 
ment it burned with a very distinct flame, and then 



LAND DISCOVERED. 59 

ftzddenly and entirely disappeared. His heart 
throbbed with emotion. Was it a meteor ? Wag 
it an optical illusion, or was it a light from the land ? 
As he stood trembling in his excitement, the light 
again beamed forth, distinct and indisputable. lie 
immediately called to his side Pedro Gutierrez, one 
of the most distinguished gentlemen of his compan- 
ions. He also saw the light. They then called a 
third, Rodrigo Sanchez, who had been sent on the 
expedition as the representative and reporter of 
their Majesties. But the light had again disap- 
peared. Soon, however, it was again manifest, and 
Sanchez also saw it. Still it might be a meteor. 
They could not declare it to be a torch on the land. 
In the journal it is stated that, 

" It appeared hke a candle that went up and 
down ; and Don Christopher did not doubt that it 
was true light, and that it was on land. And so it 
proved, as it came from people passing with lighta 
from one cottage to another." 

These gleams were so transient that not much 
importance was attached to them by the ship's com- 
pany, though Columbus seemed to be sanguine in 
the conviction that it was light from the shore. 
The little fleet pressed on for four hours, when at 
two o'clock in the morning the land was first seen 
from the Pinta by a seaman, by the name of Rod- 



^ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

rigo de Triana. A gun from the Pinta announced 
the joyful news that land was discovered. Very 
soon the outline of the land, dark, but clearly 
defined, was visible from all the ships. The prom 
ised pension of ten thousand maravedis, to the man 
who should first see land, was adjudged to Columbus, 
though many thought it justly belonged to Rodrigo 
de Triana. Navarette does not seem disposed to 
admit that the land was discovered by Columbus. 
He writes : 

** The Admiral says that this island, Guanahani 
or San Salvador, is very flat, without any mountain. 
How then can he pretend to have seen a torch at ten 
o'clock at night, at the distance of fourteen leagues, 
which rose and fell on a flat shore, destitute of ele- 
vations. Calculating by the table of tangents of the 
horizon, according to the altitude from which they 
advanced, and supposing the vision of the observer to 
be elevated twelve feet above the level of the sea, 
which is as much as can be supposed when the small- 
ness of the caravels is borne in mind, the result is 
that the land must have had an elevation of twenty- 
two hundred and fifty-four feet above the level of 
the sea, for its summit or highest point to have beer 
visible at fourteen leagues' distance. 

** How is it that the me" of the Pinta, which was 



LAND DISCOVERED. 6l 

in the advance, did not see the light, since they dis- 
covered land at two o'clock in the morning ? Why 
did not Columbus shorten sail, and lie to, when at 
ten o'clock at night, he was certain he was neat 
land, and as was done \> hen the Piuta sighted it, and 
as prudence and reason would have required, when 
we consider the swift sailing of the ships? 

* Why does he say that at first he saw the light 
so confusedly that he did not affirm it to be the 
land, as it would appear but to a few to be an indica- 
tion thereof; and that he nevertheless afterward 
hi(d it for certain, and yet took none of the precau- 
tions which such certainty of opinion would have 
required? IMi^ht not this have been the binnacle, 
or some other light, of the Plnta, which was ahead, 
or of the Xina, which would have been visible at 
another point of the compass, for he does not inform 
us in winch direction he saw the light? It might 
very well have been alternatel)' visible and invisi- 
ble, according as the ship rose and fell. Those who 
think that the light seen by Columbus was Wat- 
ling's Island, in the neighborhood of v^hich he must 
have passed at ten o'clock at night, have not consid- 
eretl or traced his route, and seen that, according to 
this supposition, the rate of sailing, and the situation 
of that island, he had, at the hour indicated, cr js»sed 



b2 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

its meridian, leaving it south-east, when he was 
navigating west.* 

Tlie remaining hours of the night passed swiftly 
away The morning dawned bright and beautiful, 
and revealed to the entranced eye of Columbus a 
spectacle which Paradise could hardly outii^'al. 
There was spread out before him a low island, in the 
richest of tropical luxuriance and bloom. Nature's 
orchards, lawns, and parks extended in all directions. 
Multitudes of the nati\'es were seen emerfrinij frorr 
the woods, and running along the shore, in a state of 
intense excitement. The\' were all perfectly naked. 
Wearv as the vowicrers were of caziuix for so manv 
weeks upon the wild waste oi' waters, the scene 
opened before them like the enchantments of fairy- 
land. It is not strange that the\' should have im- 
agined that they had reached blest realms, whose in- 
habitants were dwelling in primeval simplicity and 
innocence. 

The boats were lowered and manned from each 
of the caravels. Columbus took the lead, very richl> 
dressed in scarlet robes, and with Castilian plumes 
It is said " distance lends enchantment to the \'ie\v.' 

* Navarette, vol. iii. p. 612 This train of reasoning leads Navi 
relte to conclude that it was the sailor Rodrigo de Tiiana, or as some 
call him Juar. Rodriguez Berniejo. on board the /*////<;, \\ ho first 
sighted the land ; and that he was justly entitled to the rewanl which 
through favoritism, was conferred ipon Columbus. 



LAND DISCOVERED, 63 

But as they drew nearer the shore, the scene grew 
more picturesque and beautiful. The dweUings of 
the natives were scattered throughout the extended 
groves. The gentle eminences and the valleys were 
filled with trees of new aspect, and with every variety 
of foliage. There was an abundant display of flow- 
ers of gorgeous hue, and such as the adventurers had 
never seen before. Fruits, of great variety of form, 
and color, hung from the trees. Columbus speaks 
particularly of the songs of the birds, which filled the 
air ; of the pure and balmy atmosphere, and of the 
crystal transparency of the water. 

As soon as Columbus stepped upon the shore, 
he fell upon his knees and gave thanks to God. The 
sailors gathered around their illustrious leader, with 
sympathy and penitence for their mutinous conduct. 
Many wept, kissed his hands, and implored forgive- 
ness. Those who had been the most mutinous were 
now the most cringing and sycophantic, for they 
hoped to receive favors which would enrich and en- 
noble them all. 

With imposing religious ceremonies, Columbus 
planted upon the shore the banner of Spain. In 
devout recognition of the goodness of God which 
had guided him thus far, he named the island San 
Salvador. He then exacted from the companies of 
the three ships, the oath of allegiance to him, as 



t4 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Admiral and Viceroy of all the realms upon which 
he was now entering. 

The natives gathered timidly around, and gazed 
awe-struck upon these movements. It is said that 
when they first beheld the ships, moving apparently 
without effort, and shifting their enormous wings, 
they supposed they must be monsters of the deep, 
or birds who had come on gigantic wing from their 
aerial homes. When the sailors landed upon the 
beach, with their glittering coats of mail, their strange 
attire, and their weapons of war, they fled in terror 
to the woods. But seeing that they were not pur 
sued, and that no hostile movements were mani- 
fested, they slowly began to return. The command- 
ing stature of Columbus, his lofty bearing, his cos- 
tume of scarlet, and the deference which was paid 
him by all his companions, led the natives to regard 
him with the highest degree of veneration. 

It is the invariable testimony that the natives 
generally thought the Spaniards had descended from 
the skies. One of the chiefs subsequently inquired 
how they came down, whether by flying or by de- 
scending on the clouds."^ 

As the two parties gazed upon each other, the 
amazement was mutual. The spectacle presented to 
the Spaniards was fully as extraordinar}^ as that which 
fc'as opened to the view of the natives. The land- 

* Herrera, " Hist. Ind.," lib. iv. cap. 5. 



LAND DISCOVERED. 65 

scape, in all its varied aspects, was as novel as if the 
strangers had been transported to another planet. 
The trees, the fruits, the flowers, were all different 
from any which they had before seen. The climate, 
in its genial yet not sultry warmth, without a chill, 
and without the sensation of excessive heat, seemed 
to be perfect. The Eden-like innocence, modesty, 
and simplicity of the natives excited their wonder 
and admiration. Their clear golden complexion in 
represented as beautiful. Their limbs were rounded 
into forms of symmetry and grace which would have 
rivalled the far-famed statues of Venus and Apollo. 

These scenes probably impressed the Spaniards 
more deeply than the natives were moved, in their 
superstitious minds, by the spectacle, as they sup- 
posed, of beings descending from the skies, or rising 
from the deep. 

Columbus supposed that he had landed upon an 
island at the extremity of India. He therefore 
called the natives Indians. This name has grad- 
ually extended to all the native inhabitants of the 
New World. Notwithstanding the almost univer- 
sally received opinion that the island now called 
San Salvador was the one upon which Columbus 
first landed, there are those who dispute that state- 
ment, and who certainly bring forward some pretty 
itrong arguments in support of their views. 



66 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

The learned and impartial Navarette, whose in 
telligcnce and integrity no one will doubt, after a 
careful examination of the Hiary of Columbus, comes 
to the conclusion that the island upon which he first 
landed must have been the Great Turk Island ; the 
largest of the group called by that name. This 
island is nearly two hundred leagues south-east of 
San Salvador. He writes : 

'* From a careful examination of the diary of Co- 
lumbus, in his first voyage, its courses, descriptions 
of lands, of islands, coast, and harbors, it appears 
that this, the first island discovered and occupied by 
Columbus, and named by him San Salvador, must 
be the one situated most to the north of those called 
the Turk Islands, and itself called the Great Turk. 
Its latitude is twenty-one degrees, thirty minutes." * 

Some years ago, Mr. Gibbs, who had resided for 
many years on Turk's Island, presented a paper to 
the New York Historical Society, in confirmation 
of the views of Navarette. The following is a con- 
densation of his arguments. 

Columbus states in his journal that there wert 
several islands in sight of Guanahani. When Mr 
Gibbs visited the island now called San Salvador, he 

* See " Introduction to the Letters of Christopher Columbus," by 
R. H. Major, Esq., of the British Museum, publis? i:d by he Londoa 
Hakluyt Society i8 ^7. 



LAND DISCOVERED. 67 

sent sailors to the mast-head to look for land. But 
no other island could be seen. He went ashore, and 
ascended the highest eminence. But the ocean in 
all directions extended in an unbroken line to the 
horizon. Columbus speaks of soundings, a little to 
the eastward of Guanahani. No such soundings can 
now be found eastward of San Salvador. The 
Spaniards sailed around the island of Guanahani 
in one day. This would be impossible at San Salva- 
dor. All the marks wanting at San Salvador are 
found at Turk's Island. Columbus describes Guana- 
hani as well-wooded, and with a great abundance of 
water. He says there was a large lake in the centre 
and two considerable streams flowing into the sea. 
This is not a correct description of San Salvador, 
but is minutely correct in reference to Turk's Island 
One-third of its surface is covered with lakes of salt 
and fresh water. Some of these are still connected 
with the sea, except when their outlets are tempo- 
rarily closed by storms choking them with sand. 
Though the island is now treeless, in former ages it 
was well-wooded. The remains of ancient forests 
were plainly seen half a century ago.* 

Mr. Irving, notwithstanding these statements, 
after carefully examining the subject, and giving his 
reasons, in his illustrations of the Life of Columbus, 

* See " London Athenaeun ," for 1846. 



6S CHRISTC>PHER COLUMBUS. 

comes to the conclusion that San Salvador was the 
place of the first landing of Columbus. In this opin- 
ion nearly all modern historians coincide. And here 
it may be proper to state that Mr. Aaron Goodrich 
emphatically denies that Columbus is entitled to 
the credit of being the first to discover the islands 
of the West Indies. His account of the matter, 
which he affirms to be sustained by several ancient 
documents, is in brief, as follows : 

About the year 1484, eight years before the 
voyage of Columbus, a Spanish sea-captain, or pilot, 
as he was called, was sailing from Spain to the Canary 
Islands. His ship was struck by so fierce a tem- 
pest from the north-east, that he was compelled to 
run before it, in a westerly direction, for twenty- 
eight days. During all that time clouds so inter- 
cepted the sun that it was impossiMe to take an 
observation. 

At length they caught sight of an island, cast 
anchor, went on shore, and with their instruments 
accurately ascertained the meridian altitude of the 
sun. All this the pilot carefully wrote in his log- 
book. The island was twenty-eight days' sail west 
of the Canaries. This fact, together with a descrip- 
tion of the land, led subsequently to the surmise that 
the island thus discovered was the one now called 
Hayti or St. Domingo. The pilot, having made 



LAND DISCOVLRED. 69 

this accidental discovery, took a fresh supply of v\ood 
and water and commenced his return to Madeira, 
where Columbus at that time happened to be resid- 
ing. The crew, consisting of seventeen, fell sick, and 
twelve died. The five survivors reached Madeira, 
but in a very forlorn condition. They were all suffer- 
ing from the sickness which had carried off their com- 
panions. Columbus received them at his house, and 
carefully nursed them as one after another they died. 
He listened eagerly to the communications which 
they made of the new lands they had discovered, and 
added them to the testimony he had collected, in 
reference to lands in the west." * 

He sustains it by the authority of Gomara*s His 
tory of the Indies, and by the narrative of Garcillasso 
de la Vega. But, on the other side, Spotorno writes : 

" As to the idle tale, which was current in Spain, 
that Columbus had taken the idea of a New World 
from a pilot of whom a number of talcs were told. I 
shall not stop to refute it."t 

We can hardly assent to the statement of Mr. 
Irving, that if this story can be proved to be true, it 
would destroy all the merit of Columbus as an origi- 
nal discoverer4 We are much more ready to assent 

■ *' History of Columbus," by Aaron Goodrich, page 164. 
f Spotorno's " Ilisloria Memona," p. 29. 
X Irving's " Columbus." Appendix No. ii. 



70 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

to the statement of De Ovalle, of Chili, in Lis lela. 
tion of the kingdom of Chili, that, even if the views 
of Columbus were confirmed by the statements of 
these mariners, to whom none others paid heed, it 
would not detract from the glory of the achievement 
of the great discoverer.* 

Neither is it easy to understand why Columbus 
should have spent so many weary years in the vain 
endeavor to prove that lands could be found in the 
west, without giving prominence, or even alluding to 
the fact, that these realms had been actually visited, 
and their position ascertained. 

It is safe to say, that the most reliable historians 
of Columbus dismiss the story as without foundation. 

Ferdinand Columbus, one of the earliest of the 
annalists of his father's career, states that Christo- 
pher Columbus form.ed his views upon the basis of 
three pretty distinct lines of argument. The first 
was drawn from his own philosophical investiga- 
tions. The second, from evidence which he found in 
the written or published narratives of voyages and 
travels. The third was from such testimony as he 
could obtain from the wild and often abr.urd stories 
of wandering sailors. 

The natives, receiving no harm from their strange 
visitois, became more and more confiding and affec- 

♦ See •' Churchiirs Voyages," vol iii. p. 88. 



LAND DISCOVERED. /I 

donate. They lavished upon the Spaniards the high- 
est testimonials of their hospitality. The sailors 
fearlessly wandered through the groves, devouring 
the fruit, untasted before, which hung from so many 
boughs. The testimony seems unequivocal that 
Columbus was, by nature, a kind-hearted man 
though, influenced by the darkness of that dark age, 
he was subsequently guilty of many cruel acts. 
He completely won the hearts of the natives by the 
gift of a few glittering beads or tinkling hawk's bells. 
These articles were regarded by them as of inestim- 
able value. 

The beautiful maidens, apparently perfectly modest 
in their demeanor, would hang these bells around their 
waists, and dance with delight as they listened to the 
tinkling music. In the description which Columbus 
gives of them, he says that they had not the crisped 
hair of the African, but that it was long, very black, 
and that it frequently hung down upon their shoul- 
ders. Only in front were the locks cut off, to pre- 
ivent their disturbing the vision. Their features 
were agreeable in expression, with high foreheads 
and very fine eyes. Their complexion is represented 
of a bright copper color ; at times it was compared 
with the golden hue of the coin just issued from the 
mint. One fact struck the strangers as remarkable : 
that nearly all the natives they saw were undei 



112 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

thirty years of age. There seemed to be no c.<u 
people among them. What could this signify? 

But another fact excited the attention of the 
tlioughtful, as indicative that they had not entered 
a country resembling paradise before the fall. They 
had war clubs, and sharp-pointed javelins, armed 
with the lacerating teeth of the shark. When Co- 
lumbus spoke of these, by signs, they described to 
him that they were used in war, to make assaults or 
to repel attacks. And some of them pointed to 
wounds which they had received in battle. 

In the evening all the Spaniards returned to 
their ships. The night passed quietly away, though 
the excitement was too great for much sleep to be 
enjoyed. With the earliest light, an immense con- 
course of the natives had gathered upon the shore 
from all parts of the island, to gaze upon the astonish- 
ing spectacle. Their confidence in the strangers was 
such, that many of them plunged into the sea and 
and swam to th' vessel. The water seemed to be 
their native element. They had many canoes 
They were composed of trunks of trees, ingeniously 
hollowed, and with great labor. Some of them were 
so small and fragile that they would float but a sin- 
gle man. Others were so large that they ivould 
accommodate a party of forty armed warriors. 

These canoes, having no keels, were easily over- 



LAND DISCOVERED. 73 

turned: but this was considered by the natives a 
meie trifle. They swam about like ducks, righted 
the canoe, bailed out the water with calabashes, and 
were in again, with but a few moments' delay. 

It was a bitter disappointment to Columbus, to 
lind that these people were poor in the extreme. 
Though they had a delightful climate, comfortable 
little huts, fruit in abundance, and needed no cloth- 
ing, yet they had nothing with which Columbus 
could freight his ships, to enrich himself and his 
companions, and to reward the cupidity of the Span- 
ish monarch. The poor natives had nothing to offer 
the Spaniards but gorgeous parrots, which they 
were fond of domesticating, and balls of cotton yarn. 
These balls were frequently twenty-five pounds ia 
weight, and were of some value — we know not how 
much — in the markets of Spain. They had also a 
sort of native bread, made of a root called yuca^ 
which was palatable food on the islands, but not an 
important article of export. 

As Columbus landed the next day, amidst a 
throng of natives, he sa^v several of the girls with 
trinkets of gold suspended from the nose, instead 
of the ears. The glittering) metal quickly caught 
his eye Eagerly the Indian belles exchanged their 
plain yellow trinkets for gorgeously colored beads 
of the most insignificant value. Columbus inquired 
4 



74 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

earnestly of the natives where this gold was pro 
cured. 

It is exceedingly difficult to obtain information 
where the language of signs alone can be used ; and 
this difficulty is greatly increased when such signs 
as are used by savages are received in exchange for 
the signs of the civilized man. Columbus was un- 
doubtedly greatly deceived by the intelligence which 
he thought he had gained from the natives. lie 
understood them to say, that at some distance to 
the south, there was a powerful chief who had great 
abundance of gold, that he was served upon dishes 
of that precious metal. He also received the im- 
pression that there were nations at the north who 
often went in warlike bands to attack the southern 
nations, and returned with immense plunder of gold. 
In his ardent imagination, he fancied that they told 
him of a magnificent city, with gorgeous palaces, at 
not a great distance from them, and that he had 
landed in the rural districts of one of the most 
magnificent of earthly empires. 

Thus the 13th of October passed away. It was 
a memorable day with voyagers ; a day full of ex- 
citement and delight. The next morning, Colum- 
bus manned his boats to reconnoitre the island. An 
expedition of more intense interest, in the bright 
morning of a tropical day, amid scenes of marvellcus 



LAND DISCOVERED. 75 

novelty and beauty, can scarcely be imagined. Co- 
lumbus represented the island as surrounded by a 
reef of coral rock, with but a narrow entrance. 
Within the reef, waters still and deep would afford 
safe anchorage for all the ships in the world. It was 
upon this placid expanse that the boats commenced 
their exploring tour. They directed their course 
toward the north-east. The water, it was said, was 
as still as in a pool. 

The island he described as well wooded through- 
out, as we have before mentioned, with several 
streams of water and a large lake in the centre. As 
the boats glided along, within a few rods of the 
shore, they passed many picturesque villages em- 
bowered in groves of great luxuriance. The inhabi- 
tants — men, women, and children — ran to the shore, 
and in great excitement followed the progress of the 
boats. Individuals occasionally prostrated them- 
selves, performing ceremonies, which the Span- 
iards understood to be either thanking heaven for 
their arrival, or worshipping them as celestial beings. 

By signs which could not be misunderstood^ the 
natives invited them to land, offering them cool 
water and rich fruit. As the boats continued their 
course, several of the natives threw themselves into 
the sea and swam out to them, being apparently 
as much at home in the water as on the land 



76 CHRISTOPHER COLl^\ll^L ^ 

Others followed in canoes. The kind-hearted Ad 
miral received them all with smiles, and made them 
vcr\- happy by the present of a few insignificant 
trinkets, which they received as celestial gifts. Co- 
lumbus often repeats the declaration that the natives 
regarded them as angelic beings. 

This, however, must be somewhat doubtful. 
The idea was not easily communicated by signs. 
And it may be questioned whether the natives had 
even a dim conception of worlds, such as Christianity 
has revealed, where angel spirits dwell. Thus the 
boats continued, propelled by oars, till they reached 
quite an important headland, where there were six 
Indian dwellings, surrounded by groves and gardens 
which Columbus declared to be as beautiful as any 
which could be found mi Castile. Here they landed 
for rest and refreshment : and then prepared to 
return to the ships, taking with them seven of the 
natives, whom they wished to teach the Spanish lan- 
guage, that the\- might serve as interpreters. That 
same evening they spread their sails, and directed 
their course toward the south. 



CHAPTER IV. 



A Tour among th£ Islands, 



Number of islands — The Wrong and the Reparation — Kindness 
of Columbus — His description of the natives — The Discovery 
of Concepcion ; of Feniandina — Beauty of the scenery — Landing 
at Exumata — Disappointment of Columbus — Cuba discovered — 
Exploration of the islands — Manners and customs of the in- 
habitants. 

It is not easy to determine, from the narrative 
of Columbus, whether islands were actually v^isible 
from San Salvador. It is probable that he may 
have relied upon such testimon}- as he supposed he 
had received from the natives. According to the 
statement of ]\Iarco Polo, the Indians on board the 
Admiral's ship informed him that the islands in these 
seas were innumerable, and that the natives were 
generally at war with one another."^ They even 
mentioned the names of over a hundred oi these 
islands. Soon, they caught sight of a very large 
islaiid on the south-west, at apparently the distance 
of about fifteen miles. The Indians represented the 
natives there as much richer than those of San 

♦ Marco Polo, b iii. ch. 4, Translated by W. Marsden 



yZ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Salvador, and said that they wore bracelets and 
other large ornaments of massive gold. 

As night was approaching, and the ships were in 
unknown seas, Columbus ordered them to lie to 
until morning. With the rising sun, the sails were 
again spread, but their progress was so impeded by 
counter currents and baffling winds, that the sun 
was disappearing before thev cast anchor at the 
island. The next morning the boats were manned, 
and they went ashore. Here, there was a repetition 
of essentially the same scenes which had been wit- 
nessed at San Salvador. The climate was-the same , 
the foliage, flowers, and fruits were the same ; the 
natives were the same — unclothed, gentle, affection- 
ate people, equally destitute of gold. Columbus 
looked eagerly, but in vain, for the golden bracelets 
and anklets. Whether their existence anywhere was 
a fiction of the Indians, or the credulous idea of his 
own excited imagination, cannot he ascertained. He, 
however, took possession of the island, with religious 
ceremonies, upon which the natives gazed with child- 
ish wonder. He gave it the name of Santa Maria de 
la Concepcion ; and again spread his sails for the con- 
tinuance of his voyage. 

Just as they were weighing anchor an event took 
place which painfully indicates that some, at least, 
of the natives on board the Admiral's ships were 



A TOUR AMONG THE ISLANDS. 79t 

captives, not voluntary interpreters.* One of these 
Indians, of San Salvador, on board the Nina, of 
which Vincent Yanez Pinzon was captain, seeing a 
large canoe filled with natives, at not a great dis- 
tance, plunged into the sea, and with almost the 
rapidity of a fish, swam for his escape, and was 
received by his countrymen. A boat was imme- 
diately put off in pursuit, but the natives vigorously 
plying their paddles reached the shore before 
they were overtaken, and with the agility of deei 
disappeared in the woods. 

The sailors seized their canoe and carried it back 
to the ship as their prize. It was a gross act of 
injustice, which even the most ignorant of barbarian! 
would condemn. But soon another still more atro- 
cious outrage was attempted by the sailors. An 
Indian, who had heard that the Spaniards would 
purchase balls of cotton, came alone, in his fragile 
canoe, to the Admiral's ship. As he approached the 
bows he held up his cotton to the sailors. They 
lured him near, and then two or three of them, who, 

* " I took some Indians, by force, from the first island I came to 
that they might learn our language and tell what they knew of theii 
country. The plan succeeded excellently. Soon, by word ^x signs 
we could understand each other. Though they have been with us now 
a '."^ng time they continue to think that we descended from heaven. 
When we arrive at any new place they cry, with a loud voice, to the- 
other Indians, ' Come and look upon beings ot a celestial race.** 
— / itter of Columbus to Don Raphael Sanchez. 



60 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUb. 

were good swimmers, leaped into the sea, seized his 
canoe, and dragged the trembling man on board as 
their prisoner. 

Columbus, who was stationed on the high poop at 
the stern of the vessel, witnessed the transaction. 
He ordered the captive to be brought before him. 
The poor Indian came forward trembling like an 
aspen leaf, and held up the ball as a gift to obtain 
the mercy of his captor. The Admiral received him 
with the utmost kindness, put a gayly colored cap 
upon his head, a bracelet of gorgeous beads upon 
each arm, hung one or two hawk's bells upon each 
ear, and then ordered him to be replaced in the 
canoe with his ball of cotton. These gifts were to 
the poor Indian as joy-exciting as the legacy of 
thousands of dollars would be to a poor man in civil- 
ized life. With delight he paddled to the shore. 
Columbus was much interested in seeing the groups 
gather around him, examining his treasures and 
listening to the story of his kind treatment. 

As Columbus sailed from Concepcion, he saw, at 
the distance of several leagues to the west, another 
large island, to which he directed the ship's course 
When halfway betveen the two islands, his vessel 
overtook a single Indian in an exceedingly frail 
canoe. He was paddling from one island to the 
othei, apparently with the intention of communicat- 



A TUUR AMUNG THE ISLANDS. 8 1 

ing the news of the arrival of the Spaniards. He liac* 
a string of beads, whicli he had obtained at Sail 
Salvador. Columbus admired the intrepidity of the 
man who dared to make such a voyage in so slight a 
canoe. Both the Indian and his canoe were taken 
on board. The guest was treated with great kind- 
ness, and regaled with wine, bread, and honey. A 
very gentle breeze swept the glassy sea, and it was 
not until the evening twilight had faded away that 
they cast their anchors. 

The Indian's canoe was launched overboard, and 
the happy man was sent on shore, laden with gifts to 
propitiate the natives and lead them to welcome tht 
arrival of the Spaniards. The tidings were so rap- 
idly spread throughout the island that, with the ris- 
ing of the sun, an immense concourse of the natives 
was seen upon the beach, while the water seemed 
swarming with their canoes. They crowded to the 
ships, bringing fruits, roots, and pure water. Colum- 
bus gave all some trifling presents, and feasted them 
with sugar and honey. 

Soon, parties from the three ships rowed t-^ the 
shore. Here they witnessed the same scene 3f 
apparent peace and happiness which had before 
greeted their eyes. The}^ spent a few hours upon 
the island, charmed with the simplicity and affec 
tionateness of the natives Their dwellincfs were 
4* 



S,? CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUb. 

pavilions of reeds and palm leaves, very graceful in 
structure, and neat and orderly in interior arrange- 
ments. The following extract from the journal of 
Columbus reveals the impression which the natives 
:nade upon him. 

** Because they had much friendship for us, 
and because I knew they were people that would 
deliver themselves better to the Christian faith, and 
be converted more through love than by force, I 
gave to some of them some colored caps and some 
strings of glass beads for their necks, and many 
other things of little value, with which they were 
delighted, and were so entirely ours that it was a 
marvel to see. The same afterward came swimming 
to the ship's boats, where we were, and brought us 
parrots, cotton thread in balls, darts, and many other 
things, and bartered them with us for things which 
we gave them, such as bells and small glass beads. 
In fine, they took and gave all of whatever they had 
with good-will ; but it appeared to me that they 
were a people very poor in everything. They went 
totally naked, as naked as their mothers brought 
them into the world."* 

To this island Columbus gave the name of Fei- 
nandina, in honor of King Ferdinand. It has since 
been called Exhuma. Columbus endeavored to cir 

* *' Journal of Columbus," as quoted by Helps, p, lOO. 



A TOUR AMONG THE ISLAMj>"5. ^3 

cuninavigate the island. In sailing toward the north 
west he found a very fine harbor, where a hundred 
ships could ride in safety. Running into this harbor, 
he landed with z party of men for water. While the 
sailors were filling the casks, Columbus wandered to 
a little distance from them, and threw himself upon 
a grassy mound, in admiration of the scene which 
surrounded him. 

" The country," he exclaims in his journal, " is 
more beautiful than any I have ever before seen.** 
It was as fresh and green as is Andalusia in the 
month of May. The trees, the fruit, the herbs, the 
flowers, were entirely different from those of Spain 
The natives were exceedingly obliging. They con 
ducted the Spaniards to the sweetest springs of pure 
water; assisted them in filling their casks, and aided 
in rolling them to their boats. 

Though Columbus saw much to charm his imagi- 
nation, he was bitterly disappointed in not finding 
more gold. As it was apparent that he could not 
expect to obtain any quantity of the precious metal 
upon the island he was then exploring, he spread his 
>ails, on the 19th, for another island, which the 
natives called Saometa. He had inferred, from the 
signs of the natives, that mines of gold were ther^ , 
that it v/as the residence of the sovereign chief, O! 
kii g, of all the surrounding islands, and that che 



S^ CHRISTOPHER COLUiMBUb. 

monarch was richly clad *' in garments embroidered 
>»'ith jewels and gold." 

They had landed upon the island, but neither 
monarch nor mine of gold was there. The natives 
were numerous, the islana was delightful, and the 
subordinate chief was decked with trivial ornaments. 
To the excited imagination of Columbus, almost 
every island appeared more beautiful than those pre- 
viously visited. Indeed there was much variety in 
the scenery which was presented. This island was 
covered with trees and flowering shrubs of exquisite 
beauty. The interior was rounded into eminences 
of considerable height. The air seemed to him pecu- 
liarly balmy, and the fine sand of the beach, which 
girdled the island, was laved by billows of almost 
crystal transparency. In the interior he found several 
fine lakes of fresh water. To the island he gave the 
name of Isabella, in honor of the queen whose mem- 
ory he cherished with such loyalty of devotion. Of 
this island, which is now called Exumeta, he wrote : 

" Here are large lakes, and the groves about them 
are marvellous. And here, and in all the islands, 
everything is green. The singing of the birds is such 
that it seems as if one w^ould never desire to depart 
hence. There are flocks of parrots that obscure the 
sun, and other birds, large and small, of so many 
kinds all different from ours, that it is wonderful 



A TOUR AMONG THE ISLANDS. 85 

And besides there are trees of a thousand species, 
each having its particular fruit, and all of marvellous 
flavor, so that I am in the greatest trouble in the 
world not to know them ; for I am very certain that 
they are of great value. I shall bring home some of 
them as specimens ; also some of the herbs. 

" As I arrived at this cape there came thence a 
fragrance so good and soft, of the flowers and trees 
of the land, that it was the sweetest thing in the 
world. I believe there are here many herbs and trees 
which would be of great price in Spain for tinctures, 
medicines, and spices ; but I know nothing of them, 
which gives me great concern." '^ 

Not only the birds, which flitted from bough to 
bough, were of gorgeous plumage, but the fishes, 
with which those crystal waters abounded, flashed 
upon the eye all the gorgeous hues of the rainbow. 
They rivalled the birds in the brilliancy of their color- 
ing. The dolphins, especially, which were easily 
taken, charmed the beholders with the wonderful 
changes of colors they exhibited. It is quite 
remarkable that there should not have been found 
any four-footed animals excepting of a small size 
There was one resembling a dog, but which never 
barked. There were also rabbits, and numerous liz- 
ards: which latter the Spaniards at first regarded 

* " Primer Viage de Colon." ch. L 



«6 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUb. 

svith loathing and dread, as if they were venomous 
reptiles. They afterward ascertained that they were 
perfectly harmless, and that their flesh was es- 
teemed a great delicacy. 

But gold was the object of search of these dis- 
coverers. Employing the very obscure language of 
signs, Columbus was continually inquiring of every 
chief whom he met, where gold could be found. 
Either the natives intentionally deceived him, or 
Columbus, in his eagerness, misinterpreted their lan- 
guage. They continually pointed to the south, and 
described, with expressive gestures, a ver^^ large 
island full of people, and abounding with gold, and 
which they seemed fond of designating by the beau- 
tiful term of Cuba, Cuba, Cuba. 

All on board the ships became familiar with the 
name which the events of subsequent centuries have 
rendered so conspicuous. xA.ll were eager to reach the 
island of Cuba. It was understood that there were 
large cities upon the island, and that in the harbors 
there were large ships. 

It was the latter part of the month of October. 
The rainy season of the tropics was setting in, accom- 
panied with dead calms and baffling winds. At mid- 
night of the 24th of October, Columbus again 
spread his sails and directed his course in search of 
the island of Cuba. The canvas, however, flapped 



A TOUR AMONG THE ISLANDS. S; 

idlv aeainst the cordage until about noon of the next 
day, when a dehghtful and favoring breeze sprang 
up. Saihng in a south-westerly direction, he came 
in sight of many small islands, where he did not 
think it worth his while to tarry. He, however, 
touched at one group, which he called the Isles of 
Arene, and which was probably that now known as 
the IMucaras group. 

On the morning of the 28th of October, the mag- 
nificent mountains of the Queen of the Antilles hove 
in sight. Never can the writer forget the emotions 
he himself experienced, when in the bright rays of 
one of the most brilliant of tropical mornings, the 
mountains, the vales, the wondrous foliage and ver- 
dure, and the apparent boundless expanse of this 
grandest of earthly isles, opened before him. It was 
probably not far from the spot upon which Colum- 
bus stood when the entrancing view first caught 
his eye. 

In the most glowing language he describes the 
grandeur of the mountains, reaching to the clouds, 
tb.e luxuriance and the bloom of the extended val- 
le}'S, the bold, forest-crowned promontories, jutting 
into the sea, the headlands fading away in the far 
distance toward the north-west and the south-west 
A beautiful river, on the northern coast of the island. 
invited the entrance of his ships. Here he cast 



88 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

anchor. The water was of such transparency that 
fishes and the pebbles could be seen at the depth of 
several fathoms. Smooth white sand paved the oot- 
tom of the stream, while the banks were coveied 
with the richest foliage. 

Columbus landed. As usual, he took possession 
of the island in the name of the Spanish monarchs, 
and called it Juan, in honor of Prince Juan, the son 
of Isabella."^ The river he called San Salvador. 
The inhabitants observed the approach of the ships, 
and fled in terror from the appalling phenomenon. 
Two deserted cabins were found upon the shore. 
They contained a few fishing implements, such as nets 
ingeniously woven from fibres of the palm tree, with 
fish-hooks and harpoons made of bone. One of the 
little dogs which never bark was running around. 
The inmates of these huts were rich, according to 
the savage estimate of wealth. Their palm-thatchcd 
cabins protected them from wind and rain. Silken 
grasses supplied them with a soft and even luxurious 
couch. They needed no clothing. They had but to 
put forth their hand to pluck the richest fruits from 
the overhanging boughs. The river supplied them 
with any amount, and a large variety, of fish. 

But when we contemplate these people in the 
light of civilized life, their poverty was extreme. 

■ " First Voyage of Columbus," as given by the Hakluyt Society, p. 4 



A TOUR AMONG THE ISLANDi. 89 

The hut they dwelt in, and all its furniture, was worth 
scarcely the smallest coin of Spanish currency. 
Columbus ordered that not an article in or around 
the huts should be taken away. With a boat's 
rrew he commenced ascending the serpentine and 
placid river. Exclamations of delight were continu- 
ally bursting from his lips. 

'* Cuba ! " he wrote in his journal ; " it is the most 
beautiful island eyes ever beheld. One would live 
there forever." 

As the boat, propelled by the oars of the seamen, 
ascended the river, vistas of ever-increasing loveli- 
ness were opening before them. The banks were 
covered with the gigantic trees of the tropics, while 
flowering shrubs, scattered profusely here and there 
gave an Eden-like bloom to nature's fairy garden. 
There were several villages upon the banks of the 
river, but the inhabitants, upon the approach of the 
boat, fled to the mountains. Columbus writes that 
the houses were more substantial than those which 
he had before seen. The villages were not laid out 
in regular streets, but the houses were scattered 
picturesquely through the groves, like the tents in a 
military camp. They were neatly built of palm 
leaves, and were remarkably clean and orderly in the 
interior. 

Returning to his ship, the sails were again spread. 



90 CHRISTOPHER LOLUi.fBUS. 

and the voyage was resumed along the coast toward 
the west. Columbus was still deceived by the 
thought that he was on the shores of India, and 
that he was not far from the main land of that vast 
:ontinent, then so renowned for its opulence and for 
its vast population. As cape extended beyond cape, 
and headland beyond headland, far away in the 
distance, Columbus was continually straining his 
eyes, in search of the domes and pinnacles of some 
oriental city. He supposed that Cuba was the far- 
famed island of Japan. But as he coasted along the 
shore for three days, and found no termination to 
the island, he came to the conclusion that he must 
have already reached the main land of India. 

They arrived at length at a very imposing head- 
land, densely covered with palm trees, to which Co- 
lumbus gave the name of the Cape of Palms. It is 
supposed that this is the headland which forms the 
eastern entrance to what is now called the Laguna 
de Moron. 

Columbus low invited the two Pinzons into his 
cabin, to confe* respecting their future course. The 
three concurred in the opinion that Cuba was not 
m island, but the main land, extending indefinitely 
far away to the north. This led Columbus 
to the opinion that, being upon the main land of 
Asia, he could not be very far from the renowned 



A TOUR AMONG THE ISLANDS. 9I 

realm of Cathay. From the language of the natives, 
he inferred that there was a great capital on a vast 
river, not very many leagues to the north. He strug- 
gled along for a few days against contrary winds, wheUj 
finding that the interminable coast was still extend- 
ing before him, and the weather threatening a storm, 
he turned back, and cast anchor in the mouth of a 
little river, which he called Rio de los Maries. 

It was now the 1st of November. There was a 
small cluster of houses on the bank, beneath a grove 
of cocoa and palms. With the sunrise a boat was 
sent on shore. The inhabitants fled in terror. 
Again, in the afternoon, Columbus made an attempt 
to open communication with the group of trembling 
natives gathered upon the beach. There were three 
Indians on board the 5/. Mary, from San Salvador. 
Columbus sent one of them, in a boat, to assure the 
natives of his peaceable intentions. 

As soon as the Indian arrived within hailing dis- 
tance of the group, he shouted out to them words 
oi friendship. It v/ould seem that they understood 
his language. He plunged into the sea and swam 
ashore, thus placing himself, utterly helpless, in their 
power. They received him kindly, listened to his 
words, and he succeeded so effectually in allaying 
their fears that before nightfall sixteen canoes, filled 
with the natives, were clustered around the ships. 



92 CHRISTOPIllA OLUMBUS. 

They brought cotton yarn to sel) ; but Co umbus 
looked in vain for gold. Not even tlie smallest 
golden trinket was to be seen. One man had a 
small piece of wrought silver, hung as an ornament 
from his nose. 

Columbus understood these Indians to say that 
the metropolis of their sovereign was in the interior, 
at the distance of about four days' journey. He 
therefore decided to send an expedition, escorting 
two ambassadors to the royal court. Of these men, 
whose names were Rodrigo de Jerez and Luis de 
Torres, the latter was a converted Jew, who was 
somewhat familiar with the Hebrew, Chaldaic, and 
Arabic languages. Columbus thought it not im 
probable that the Oriental prince might be familial 
with one at least of these tongues. 

Two Indians were sent with this delegation, as 
guides. One of these was from San Salvador ; the 
other was from the little hamlet on the banks of 
Rio de Los Maries. The ambassadors were well 
supplied with trinkets, to defray their expenses by 
the way, and with more valuable articles as gifts for 
the sovereign. They were also furnished with a let- 
ter, expressive of the desire of the King and Queen 
of Spain to enter into friendly relations with the 
governments of the East. The ambassadors were 
instructed to gain all the information in their power 



A TOUR AMONG THE ISLANDS. 93 

respecting the country through which they were to 
pass, and its inhabitants. Six days were allowed 
for the journey. 

While waiting for the return of the embassy, 
Columbus was busily employed in repairing his ships, 
and sending out exploring parties into the region 
around. He himself took a boat, and was rowed up 
the river about six miles. Here he landed, and 
climbed a bluff which gave him quite a commanding 
view of the prospect around. Nothing, however, was 
to be seen, as far as the eye could extend, but a 
dense mass of the most wild and luxuriant foliage. 
He sought in vain for those spices and drugs which 
were deemed of great value in the marts of Europe. 
Occacsionally he met with the natives, and exhibiting 
to them pearls and gold, inquired where such could 
be found. But the replies he received, by words 
and signs, were only bewildering. The natives 
seemed to describe nations, whose people had but 
one eye, others who had the heads of dogs, others 
who were cannibals, cutting the throats of their vic- 
tims, and sucking their blood."^ 

Great as was the disappointment of Co'umbus in 
failing to obtain gold, he could not refrain from con- 
stant exclamations of delight in view of the charm- 
ing scenery which surrounded him. It is said that 
* " First Voyage of Columbus/' as given by Navarette. 



«^ CHRISTOPHER CJLUMBUS. 

during this short tour uj one of the most oeautiful 
rivers of Cuba, he saw the natives one day baking 
in the ashes a small bulbous root about the size of 
an apple. They used it as food. It was mealy, and 
very palatable, and was called by them, batatas. 
This bulb has since become an indispensable ar^ 
tide of food throughout the whole civilized world. 
The discovery of the potato, of which Columbus 
thought nothing, has proved of more value to the 
human family, than if he had discovered a moun- 
tain of solid gold. 

On the 6th of November, the ambassadors 
returned. All crowded eagerly around them, to 
listen to the story of their adventures. The narra- 
tive was not very encouraging. After travelling 
about thirty miles, through a forest path, they came 
to a little hamlet, of about fifty huts, similar to those 
they had already seen, but a little larger. They 
probably greatly overestimated the population of 
the village, in judging it to amount to a thousand 
souls, which would be twenty for each hut. The 
natives received them kindly, seated them upon 
blocks of wood fantastically carved, and regaled 
them with fruits and vegetables. 

The learned Jew tried all his languages upon 
them, but in vain. Their Indian interpreter attempted 
a speech. How far it was understood cannot be 



A TOUR AMONG THE ISLANDS. 95 

knoiVB ; but at its close, the natives gathered around 
the white men, with renewed manifestations of aston- 
ishment and ahuost adoration. They examined theii 
clothes, passed their hands over their skin, and 
seemed to regard them in all respects as superior 
beings. All the natives they had met with before, 
were apparently upon an equality. Here, for the 
first time, they saw indications of a diversity of rank. 
There was one among them, who was recognized as a 
chieftain of some authority. But there was no gold 
here; there were even no rich spices to be found. 
The envoys decided that it was in vain to push their 
explorations any further. They therefore returned 
to the ships. 

According to their representation the whole pop- 
ulation of the village wished to accompany them. 
This honor they declined, but took with them one 
of the principal men and his son. 

*' On their way back," Mr. Irving writes, *' they, 
for the first time, witnessed the use of a weed, which 
the ingenious caprice of man has since converted 
into a universal luxury, in defiance of the opposition 
of the senses. They beheld several of the natives 
i^oiiig about with fire-brands in their hands, and cer- 
tain dried herbs which they rolled up in a leaf, and 
lighting one end, put the other in their mouths and 
continued inhaling and pufifing out the smoke. A 



9^ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

roll of this kind they called * a tobacco,' a name shxc 
transferred to the plant of which the rolls were maJe. 
The Spaniards, though prepared to meet with 
wonders, were struck with astonishment at this siv- 
gular and apparently nauseous indulgence." * 

The envoys gave a glowing account of the beau;/ 
and fertility of the region they had traversed, and of 
the friendUness of the people. The inhabitants 
were very social, and seemed to be harmonious and 
happy in their intercourse with each other. Their 
villages consisted of a few houses clustered together, 
each with a well-cultivated garden of Indian corn, 
potatoes, and other vegetables. There were also con- 
siderable fields of cotton. This they twisted into 
cord, of which they made nets and very tasteful 
hammocks. 

The luxuriant groves were filled with birds, many 
of brilliant plumage; and water-fowl, in great variety 
floated upon the lakelets. But no tidings could be 
gained of any inland city, or of any precious metals. 
Columbus was greatly disappointed, though he 
seemed to be travelling through an enchanted region, 
full of fairy beauty and novelty. 

it cannot be denied that Columbus was a vision 
ary man ; and his enthusiasm led him to believe, upon 
very feeble evidence, whatever he wished to believe 

* Irving's " Columbus," vol. i. p. 195. 



A TOUR AMONG THE ISLANDS. ^ 97 

He understood the Indians, with whom he was tarry- 
ing, during the absence of the envoys, to intbrm him 
that, far away to the eastward, the re was a very pop- 
ulous island, a district where the people found, by 
torch-light, gold on the river banks, and that with 
hammers they wrought it into bars. The tropical 
summer was rapidly passing, and the winter season, 
with often chilly nights, was approaching In south- 
ern Spain, Columbus was accustomed to seasons 
almost as mild as those of Cuba. Thus far he had 
found no place which suited his views of establishing 
a colony. He had no thought of founding merely an 
agricultural settlement, but wished to find some pop- 
ulous and opulent region, where he could establish 
lucrative commercial relations, and freight his ships 
with oriental merchandise, which would enrich him- 
self and his patrons, and which would astonish his 
countrymen. 

But thus far, he had met with but naked savages, 
living in frail huts of the most primitive simplicity, 
and, with the exception of here and there a small bit 
of gold as an ornament, the most valuable corrmo 
dity he had found, to take back to Spain, was a lim 
ited quantity of coarse cotton yarn. 

Columbus gave the name of Mares to the nver 
where he had cast anchor. From that place he took 
with him several natives, choice specimens of beauty 
S 



giS CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

ind intellectual brightness, to convey to Spain, that 
he might teach them the Spanish language, and that 
they might serve as interpreters in future voyages. 
We know not whether they consented to this, oi 
were kidnapped. He selected young men of fine 
proportions, and beautiful girls. The amiability and 
docility of the natives led Columbus to believe that 
they could easily be converted to the Christian faith. 

Peter Martyr gives the following account of the 
manners and customs of the inhabitants of Cuba. 

*' It is certain the land, among these people, is as 
common a possession as the sunlight and the water. 
The words ' mine and thine,* the seeds of all misery, 
have no place with them. They are content with so 
little that, in so large a country, they have rather 
superfluity than scarceness; so that they seem to 
live in a golden world, without toil. Their gardens 
are open, not intrenched with dikes, divided with 
hedges, or defended with walls. They deal fairly 
one with another, without laws, without books, and 
without judges""^ 

It is manifest that this description must be re- 
ceived with some grains of allowance. The inhabi- 
tants of the new world were found with murderous 
weapons of war in their hands. Many of them bore 
marks of severe wounds, received on the battle-field 

* Peter Martyr, decade i. book 3 



A TOUR AMONG THE ISLANDS. 99 

And they gave vivid accounts of marauding bands, 
desolating islands with robbery and death. We do 
nowhere find angelic society among the fallen sons 
of men.* 

* "There are some apparent contradictions in the scenes which 
Columbus describes. These diverse statements are sometimes 
doubtless to be referred to the different localities visited. Bat this 
does not fully explain the discrepancy. In one case he says that^ 
' They neither carried arms nor understood such things. Their darts 
were without iron, but some were pointed with a fish's tooth.' It is 
true that these darts might have been used simply for hunting or fish- 
ing. " — Life of Columbus ^ by Arthur Helps, p. 100. 



LofC. 



CHAPTER V 

Romantic Adventures, 

Religious views — The Garden of the King — Desertion by Pinzon— 
Beauty of the region — Immense canoes — Porto Rico, the island 

of the Caribs — Hayti — Rich scenery — Terror of the natives— 
The Maiden Captive — Communications opened — Account of 
Peter Martyr — Visit of the chief — Guacanagari — Punta Santa, ot 
Grande Riviere — The Shipwreck — Hospitality of Guacanagari— 
Amusements of the natives — The Royal Dinner Parly — Life in 
Hayti — The Caribs — Preparations for the return voyage — The 
Fortress. 

So far as it was possible to ascertain the religious 
views of the natives, it seems that they had a vague 
behef in the immortality of the soul. They imagined 
that, after death, the spirit of man went to the dense 
forests and craggy mountains, and that, immuied iji 
caves, it was supernaturally fed. The echoes, often 
heard from the mountain cliffs, they supposed to be 
the answering voices of departed souls. 

On the I2th of November, 1492, Columbus turned 
his course to the south-east, retracing his passage 
along the coast of the island. It is supposed that 
Columbus had sailed a distance of nearly two-thirds 
the length of Cuba. A few more days* sail would 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. 101 

have brought him to the western extremity and 
would thus have disabused him of the idea that he 
had reached the continent. 

For two or three days he skirted the coast, with- 
out making any delay to explore the interior. A 
gale of wind rendered it necessary for him to run 
into a harbor, to which he gave the name of Puerto 
del Principe. Here, as usual, he erected a cross, and 
took formal possession of the country in the name 
of his sovereigns. There were many small and very 
beautiful islands in the vicinity, which he explored 
in his boats, and which subsequently became known 
by the poetical name of El Jardin del Roy, or the 
Garden of the King. To the gulf or bay, which 
these islands adorned, he gave the name of Nuestra 
Senora. Dense forests covered these picturesque 
mounds, emerging from the ocean. The intricate 
channels and solitary coves of this lovely region in 
after years became infested with pirates, who in- 
flicted woes upon humanity which demons might 
blush to perpetrate. 

On the 19th of November. Columbus again spread 
his sails, designing to reach an island about sixt) 
miles to the eastward, to which the natives gave the 
name of Babique. In his frail little vesse he strug- 
gled for twenty-four hours against adverse winds and 
a rough sea. It would seem as though, through 



I02 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

some evil destiny, man is doomed ever, in whatever 
enterprise, to contend with difficulties, disappoint- 
ments, and innumerable adverse influences. 

Martin Alonzo Pinzon, commander of the Pinta, 
was a man of wealth, and an experienced seaman. 
He had furnished large funds for the enterprise, and 
was not disposed to look upon Columbus as, in any 
respect, his superior. The admiral was a man of 
kingly bearing and assumption. It is probable that, 
for some time, antagonistic views had been rising 
between them. Columbus put about ship, to return 
to the harbor, and signalled to the other vessels to 
do the same. Pinzon paid no heed to the signal. 
Abandoning the two other ships, he apparently de- 
cided to enter upon a cruise on his own account. 
When the morning of the 2ist dawned, the Pinta 
was nowhere to be seen."^ 

Columbus was greatly disgusted. He feared that 
it was Pinzon's intention to hasten back to Spain, 
with the tidings of the great discovery, and to enjoy 

* In reference to this desertion, Mr. Goodrich, who loses no op. 
portunity to assail Columbus, writes, " Many authors can hardly find 
sufficient vent for their indignation at what they term this desertion on 
the part of Pinzon. But the latter, who had been one of the chief pro- 
m:)ters of the scheme, can hardly have been expected to take no other 
ijart in the exploration save that of following Columbus, to vkora he 
certainly owed nothing, but who may be said to have owed tim 
-verything, in the accomplishment of his enterpnse." — Life of Q^ 
iumbus, by Aaron Goodrich, p. 203, 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES lOJ 

the triumph which the announcement of so glorious 
an event would surely give him. To pursue the 
fugitive was useless. Agitated and, desponding the 
admiral returned to Cuba. On the 24th of Novem- 
ber he ran into a fine harbor, which he called St, 
Catherine. It was near the mouth of a river, whose 
banks were fringed with green meadows of surpass- 
ing loveliness, interspersed with groves of pines and 
oaks of majestic growth. 

He then continued cruising along the coast of 
Cuba, to the eastward, with scenes of beauty open- 
ing before him, which elicited continued exclama- 
tions of rapture. The serene skies, the salubrious 
atmosphere in mid-winter, the rivers of crystal purity, 
the harbors as rich in landscape beauty as they were 
valuable in the security they offered, the luxuriant 
foliage, the fruit, the flowers, the bird songs, the 
amiability of the men, the loveliness of the women, 
elicited rapturous expressions of delight from his 
pen. In one of the harbors, which he called Puerto 
Santo, he wrote, in a letter to the Sovereigns. 

** The beauty of this river, and the crystal clear- 
ness of the water, through which the sand at the 
bottom may be seen ; the multitude of palm-trees of 
irarious forms, the highest and most beautiful that I 
have met with, and an infinity of other great and 
gieen trees, the birds, in rich plumage, and the ver- 



£04 CHRISTC>PHER COLUMBUS. 

dure of the fields, render this country, most serene 
princes, of such marvellous beauty, that it surpasses 
all others in charms and graces, as the day doth the 
night in lustre. For which reason I often say to my 
people that, much as I endeavor to give a complete 
account of it to you r majesties, my tongue cannot ex- 
press the whole truth, nor my pen describe it. And 
I have been so overwhelmed at the sight of so much 
beauty, that I have not known how to relate it." 

Some of these trees were of such enormous mag- 
nitude that the natives would dig out, from a single 
tree, a canoe of sufficient size to carry one hundred 
men. Sailing slowly along, Columbus reached the 
extreme eastern end of the island on the 5th of 
December. As he regarded this as the most easterly 
cape of the continent of Asia, and consequently the 
first point of the main land to be reached in coming 
from Europe, he named the cape Alpha and Omega, 
the beginning and the end. 

Columbus was in much perplexity as to the course 
he should pursue. The Indians gave marvellous 
accounts of Barbique, and, guided by their directions, 
he sailed from the end of Cuba toward the east, when 
he discovered, in a south-easterly direction, high 
mountains towering above the horizon. But when 
the Indians on board his ship saw him sailing toward 
it, they thought it the island of the Caribs, and were 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. IO5 

terrified They implored him not to go, assuring 
him that the inhabitants were ferocious and cruel in 
the extreme ; that they killed and devoured all their 
prisoners. This proves conclusively that these 
Islanders partook of the common characteristics of 
fallen humanity, and that sin, with woe as the con- 
sequence of sin, had reached their shores.* 

The atmosphere of the tropics is so wonderfully 
pure, that objects at a great distance can be seen 
with wonderful distinctness. Columbus was ap- 
proaching the beautiful and magnificent island of 
Hayti. God has created this island one of the most 
lovely spots of our planet. Man has converted it 
into as gloomy a theatre of crime and woe as can be 
found anywhere on the surface of our globe. The 
towering eminences pierced the clouds. • 1 heir sides 
were covered with luxuriant forests. From the 
base of the mountains verdant plains and valleys, 
with groves of fruit trees and parterres of flowers, 
swept down to the ocean. Columns of smoke, 

* The island inhabited by the renowned Caribs was the one now 
known as Porto Rico. Columbus writes : " A people dwell there 
w\n) are considered, by the neighboring islanders, as most ferocious 
1 hey feed on human flesh. They have many kinds of canoes, in 
which they cross to all the surrounding islands, and rob and plunder 
wherever they can. They use bows and javelins of cane ; with sharp- 
ened spear-pomii on the thickest end. By the other Indians they are 
regarded with uz. bounded fear." — Se/^c/ Letters of Christopher Colum- 
bus, p 14. 



I06 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

ascending through the foUage, gave evidence that 
the region was crowded with inhabitants. It was 
subsequently ascertained that the island was about 
four hundred miles in length, and, at its centre, one 
hundred and fifty miles in breadth. It contained 
nearly thirty thousand square miles, being about the 
size of the State of Maine. Nearly the whole of this 
imperial island was recently offered our country as a 
free gift. But Congress rejected the offer. 

In the evening of December 6th, Columbus 
entered a harbor, near the western end of the island, 
to which he gave the name of St. Nicholas. It is so 
called still. The region was of Eden-like beauty. 
There were majestic groves, and trees loaded with 
fruit. On one side a green and luxuriant plain 
extended into the interior, through which a river of 
pure water meandered, flowing down from the moun- 
tains. There were many canoes upon the shore, 
and picturesque villages were discerned on the smooth 
sward beneath the shade of the trees. But the 
natives, as if conscious that the greatest foe they had 
to dread on earth was their fellow-man, had all fled. 

Leaving this harbor, without gaining access to 
the people, they slowly coasted along the shore 
toward the east, gazing with delight upon the moun- 
tains and the sweeping plains. One of the deep and 
broad valh^ys which opened before them, appeared 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. IO7 

to be in a high state of cultivation. They entered 
a fine harbor, which Columbus named Port Concep- 
cion, but which is now known by the name of the 
Bay of Moustique. Here another beautiful river 
meandered through the garden-like region. The 
waters of the bay and of the river were swaiming 
with fish of great variety. They took large numbers 
with their nets. Some were found almost precisely 
like those in Spain. There was one bird who3e 
warbling, strongly resembling that of the nightingale 
reminded them of the groves of their native Andalu 
sia. These incidents led Columbus to call the island 
Hispaniola, or Little Spain. The French subse- 
quently called it St. Domingo.* 

A detachment of six men, well armed, accompa- 
nied by Indian interpreters, was sent into the interior 
to open, if possible, some communication with the 
natives. They found houses, villages, and gardens ; 
but not an Indian could be seen. The affrighted 

* Columbus, in his letter to the court, says: " Hispaniola is great- 
er than all Spain, from Catalonia to Fontarabia. One of its four sides 
I coasted, in a direct line from west to east, 540 miles. There is one 
';.ri;p town, of vhich I took possession, in a remarkably favorable spot 
I ^ rdt red a fortress to be built there, in which I left as many men as 
1 ih'tught necessary ; and engaged the favor of the king in their behalf, 
to a degree which v, ould haraiy be thought credible. The people are 
so amiable and friendly, that even the king took a pride in calling me 
his brother." — See Select Letters of Colutnbus, issued by the Hal- 
luyt Society, p. 13 slightly abridged. 



I08 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

natives had fled to the inaccessible cHfifs of the moun- 
tains 

On the I2th oi December Columbus erected a 
cross, and took possession of the island with as im- 
posing religious rites as the occasion could afford. 

During the tarry in this harbor, some of the sail- 
ors, who were rambling about, fell in with a small 
party of islanders, who fled like deer. The sailors 
pursued. Seeing a beautiful young girl, of about 
eighteen years and graceful as a fawn, but who was 
unable to keep pace with the more athletic runners, 
they united in the chase, and succeeded in capturing 
her With great exultation they brought their fas- 
cinating prize to the ships. 

Columbus received the maiden with parental 
kindness. He loaded her with presents, and deco- 
rated her person with the little tinkling hawk's bells, 
which had for the natives an indescribable charm. 
There were several native women on board the ad- 
miral's ship. They soon, with their assurances, 
restored peace to the mind of the young captive. 
In an hour she appeared to be entirely at home, and 
vvas so well pleased with her reception that she was 
1 lite indisposed to return to the shore. 

The only ornam.ent which this beautiful Indian 
girl wore, when taken, was a ring of pure gold, sus- 
pen Jed from the nose. Columbus was quite excited 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. IO9 

by the sight of the precious metal. It was strong 
evidence that gold could be found upon the island. 
The admiral clothed the maiden with some of the 
robes of civilization, and sent her on shore, with 
friendly messages to her countrymen. Several of 
the crew accompanied her, and three Indian inter- 
preters. Her village was far inland. The sailors, not 
deeming it safe to wander among savages, who were 
reputed to be ferocious and hostile in the extreme, 
returned to the ship. The happy girl was left to 
repair to her friends alone. 

The admiral, confident that her report would 
awaken only a friendly feeling among the natives, 
sent, the next morning, a well-armed party of nine 
men, with a Cuban interpreter, to follow the trail, 
through the luxuriant tropical wilderness, to the 
native village. At the distance of about twelve 
miles they found quite a large cluster of huts, pic- 
turesquely situated on the banks of a beautiful river. 
Navarette says that this village was subsequently 
called Gros Morne, and that it was situated on the 
banks of a stream which the French called Trois 
Rivieres, and which empties itself near the Port 
de Paix. 

The envoys counted a thousand houses. But 
not a solitary villager could be found. They had 
evidently regarded the maiden as a decoy, which 



no CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

wily and wicked men had used, to lure the natives 
into their power. The Cuban interpreter followed 
after the fugitives. When they saw him approaching 
alone, they advanced to meet him. It would appear 
that, on all the islands, essentially the same language 
was spoken. The Cuban gave the terrified natives 
such an account of the strangers, that some of the 
more courageous of them, about two thousand 
in number, slowly ventured back. They advanced^ 
however, with trembling and hesitating steps. Las 
Casas says that they were exceedingly graceful in 
form, and of fairer complexion, and more delicately 
moulded features, than any of the natives they had 
thus far seen. 

Confidence was gradually established. Still the 
natives, it is said, regarded the strangers as celestial 
beings, invested with supernatural powers. They 
were, in their view, armed with thunder and light- 
ning. Thus the whole multitude of two thousand 
trembled in the presence of nine celestial visitants. 
Frequently they would bow low to the ground, pla- 
cing their hands upon their heads in token of rev- 
erence and submission. 

While enjoying this friendly interview, anothei 
group of Indians appeared approaching. They 
brought, upon their shoulders, the beautiful captive, 
decorated with European robes, and with the glitter 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. Ill 

ing trinkets she had received, more dazzling, in their 
eyes, than the most precious pearls and gems which 
ever adorned the brow of a duchess. The Indians 
conducted the strangers into their houses, and feasted 
them with their choicest viands. Freely they offeied 
their guests, as pre-sents, everything they possessed ; 
tame parrots, fruits, flowers, and richly woven mats 
and hammocks. 

The Spaniards returned to their ships, enchanted 
with the beauty of the country they had traversed, 
and with the hospitality of the inhabitants. But 
alas ! there was no gold. It is evident that Colum- 
bus and his followers were, at that time, in a mood 
of mind which led them not to see any dark side to 
the picture. One may truthfully, describe a lovely 
June morning, and forget that November glooms 
and chills may succeed, when storms may howl, 
which shall wreck both earth and sky. Columbus, in 
a letter addressed to Louis de St. Angel, writes : 

'' True it is that after they felt confidence and 
lost their fear of us, they were so liberal with what 
they possessed that it would not be believed by 
those who had not seen it. If anything was asked 
of them, they never said No ; but rather gave it cheer- 
fully and showed as much amity as if they gave their 
very hearts. And whether the thing were of great 
value or of little price, they were content with what 



112 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

ever was given in return. In all these islands it 
appears that the men are contented with one wife; 
but they give twenty to their chieftain or king. 
The women seem to work more than the men, and 
I have not been able to learn whether they possess 
individual property ; but I rather think that what- 
ever one has, all the rest share." 

The work to be done must have been exceed- 
ingly small. There were no clothes to be made or 
washed ; no carpets to be swept or dusted ; no china 
to be cared for ; no fires to be built, save for very 
simple cooking ; the fruit hanging, upon every bough, 
furnished ample food. 

Peter Martyr gives an account of the primitive 
simplicity of these people, which he says he obtained 
from conversation with Columbus himself. The 
description he presents of the scenes witnessed in 
Hayti are hardly surpassed by that which the 
Apostle John gives as he beheld, in vision, the realms 
of the blessed. As Columbus continued his explora- 
tions, he discovered the island of Tortugas, which, in 
subsequent years, obtained unenviable notoriety ap 
the head-quarters of the buccaneers, who for so long 
a time infested those seas. He landed and made 
a short excursion into the country. 

Here again the natives fled the approach of theif 
brother man as they would that of the most raven* 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. II3 

ous beasts of prey. Their alarm fires were seen at 
night, blazing along the heights, to announce to 
those at a distance the approach of danger To one 
lovely plain, which opened before the eye of Co- 
lumbus, he gave the name of the Vale of Paradise. 
On the i6th of December, at midnight, Columbus 
left Tortugas to return to Hispaniola. He met, far 
out at sea, an exceedingly frail canoe, navigated by a 
single Indian. The wind was high, and the sea 
rough. It seemed impossible that the boat could be 
kept above water. Columbus took the man and his 
canoe on board. Upon reaching Hispaniola, he 
anchored in the Port de Paix. He then sent the 
man ashore, having feasted him and loaded him with 
presents. 

As was invariably the case, this kindness won 
kindness in return. The report he carried to the 
Indians dispelled their fears, and soon friendly inter- 
course took place. One of the most illustrious 
chieftains, with his retinue, visited the ship. He 
was a courteous man, of dignified demeanor. Some 
of his retinue had small ornaments of gold. They 
did not seem to attach any special value to the 
metal, but readily exchanged it for the merest trifle. 

The more Columbus explored this island, the 
more was he charmed with its beauty. Its lovely 
and luxuriant valleys were well watered, and many 



114 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

of the most lofty eminences could be ploughed, with 
oxen, to their summits. One day a young chief from 
the interior visited him, with quite an imposing dis 
play. He was borne upon the shoulders of foui 
slout men, in a highly decorated palanquin. A cor- 
tege of two hundred natives composed his train. 
The young man, entirely unembarrassed, and per- 
fectly familiar with the etiquette of his court, en- 
tered the tent where the admiral was dining, and 
took his seat by his side. Two venerable men ac- 
companied him, and seated themselves at his feet. 
His two attendants seemed to regard him with 
religious devotion. 

They watched every movement. They seized 
every word, as uttered from his lips, and eagerly 
endeavored to convey the meaning to the admiral. 
The prince ate very sparingly, but was careful to 
see that his attendants were all provided for. After 
dinner he presented Columbus with a beautiful belt, 
very curiously wrought, and two pieces of gold. 
In return he received a piece of cloth, some brilliant 
beads, and a few other trinkets. Columbus also 
dazzled his eyes with an exhibition of gold coin, 
containing the effigies of Ferdinand and Isabella; 
with silken banners embroidered in gold, and also 
with the Standard of the Cross. He very earnestly 
endeavored to convey some idea of the great atoning 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. II< 

sacrifice, when God, manifest in the flesh, suffered on 
the cross for the sins of man. A salute was fired 
from the ships, in honor of the cacique, and he took 
his leave, departing in the same state in which he 
had come. 

Though the natives readily gave away whatever 
gold they had about their persons, but little was 
obtained. Again, on the 19th of December, Colum- 
bus spread his sails, and running along the coast for 
about thirty-six hours, entered a fine harbor, which 
he called St. Thomas, but which is supposed to have 
been that which is now known as the Bay of Acul. 
The region was thickly populated. The inhabitants 
had probably heard of the arrival of the strangers, 
and of their friendly disposition. They manifested 
no fear, but came off to the two ships in crowds, some 
in canoes and some swimming. They brought fruits, 
rich in fragrance and flavor, which they gave away 
with great generosity. They also readily gave away 
their golden ornaments, seeming to have no idea of 
traffic, which constitutes so important a part of civ- 
ilized life. 

Columbus refused to take advantage of this won- 
derful liberality, and issued strict orders that, in every 
case, some equivalent should be pa'd in return. 
They anchored in this harbor on the evening of the 
20th As the sun was rising on the morning of the 



[l6 CHRISlOPHER COLUMBUS 

22d, an imperial canoe was seen in the distance 
rapidly driven by the oars over the tranquil sea. It 
was of immense capacity, and contained the ambas- 
sador of a sovereign chief, with a large retinue. It 
♦vas a beautiful spectacle, as the canoe, with its lofty 
crest and waving plumes, glided over the placid 
waters of the bay. 

The name of this chief was Guacanagari. He 
was the acknowledged sovereign of all that part of 
the island. One of the most distinguished members 
of hih court was sent on this mission to Columbus, 
bearing a present to the admiral, consisting of a belt 
of ingenious workmanship, embroidered with beads 
and ivory, and also a neatly sculptured head, with 
the eyes, nose, and tongue of solid gold. The ambas- 
sador delivered a message from his prince, invit- 
ing the admiral to visit his residence, with the ships. 

Contrary winds prevented the immediate accept- 
ance of this invitation. Columbus therefore sent a 
boat's crew, with one of his officers, to announce his 
intended arrival. The king resided in a pleasant 
town, on the banks ot a river which flowed through 
an exceedingly fertile valley. It was the largest and 
best built town they had yet seen. The buildings 
surrounded a public square, which had been swept 
and decorated, in their best style, for the important 
occasion From all the region around, the popula. 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. IIJ^ 

tion was crowding toward the royal village. The 
hospitality with which the officer and the sailors 
were entertained, surpassed everything ever known 
in civilized lands. Ail were received as honored 
guests, and were literally offered everything the 
natives possessed, without money and without price. 
Whatever was given to the natives, they accepted 
with gratitude, and treasured up as a sacred relic. 
The Spaniards called the river Punta Santa. It has 
since been known as Grande Riviere. 

In the evening of this eventful day, the boat 
returned to the ships. The wind proved favorable 
on the morning of the 24th, and before sunrise the 
sails were again spread. Toward evening the wind 
died away into a perfect calm. Columbus, who was 
one of the most watchful and careful of navigators, 
often spending the whole night upon deck, feeling 
perfectly secure, retired to rest. The man at the 
helm, unfaithfully followed his example, and, placing 
the helm in the hands of a mere boy, fell asleep. 
The rest of the sailors were also soon slumbering.* 

* Cclumbus, in the following terms, alludes to th^ shipwreck : 
** On the 24th of December, while lying off the coast of Hispanic la, il 
pleased the Lord, seeing me gone to bed, and we being in a dead 
calm, and the sea as still as water in a dish, that all the men went tc 
bed, leaving the helm with a boy. Thus it came to pass that the cur- 
rent easily carried away the ship upon one of those shoals which, 
though it was night, made such a roaring nOiSe that it might be heard 
ft league off." —Letter of Columbus. 



Il8 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

A strong current, which had not been perceived^ 
swept the vessel upon a sand-bank. The boy prob* 
ably fell asleep also ; for, though the breakers struck 
(he bank with a noise which could be heard at a 
great distance, he gave no alarm until the keel 
grated upon the sand. Columbus, who ever slept, 
as it is said, with one eye open, was the first upon 
deck. A scene of great confusion ensued. To lose 
the ship in those distant seas would be an irreparable 
disaster. The sailors lost all self-possession. Every 
effort to save the vessel was in vain. Had the sea 
been rough, probably all would have perished. As 
it was, the breakers opened the seams, the vessel 
soon filled, and Columbus, with his crew, was com- 
pelled to take refuge on board the caravel, Nina^ 
which was the smallest vessel of the three.* 

A delegation was sent on shore to inform the 
friendly chief Guacanagari of the disaster. The vil- 
lage of the chief was about a mile and a half from the 
scene of the shipwreck. The sympathy of this kind 
hearted man was such, that he even wept over their 

* Mr. Goodrich comments upon the shipwreck in the following 
terms: " The sheer carelessness and incapacity of Columbus, in thus 
losing his vessel in a dead calm, are fully demonstrated. We do not 
wonder he had need of the skill and superior knowledge of Martin 
Alonzo Pinzon. We are first told that the current carried the ship to 
the shoal ; then, that th* sea was ebbing so that the ship could not 
move Thus did the elements combine and change, at his will, thai 
he m'ght appear blameless in *he disaster." — Lift of Columlus p. 207 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. 1 19 

misfortune. He sent all his people, with every canoe 
which could be mustered, large and small, to aid in 
unloading the vessel. The cacique himself, and his 
brother, worked diligently, both on the sea and on 
the land. So valuable was this assistance, that nearly 
all the contents of the vessel were saved. Neither 
the chief nor any of his men asked anything for their 
labors. Instead of this, the chief invited all to his 
village that he might feed and shelter them. A 
large number of canoes came from a distance, bear- 
ing crowds of natives, with subordinate chiefs. A 
wonderful scene of fraternal kindness was presented 
Though treasures of inestimable value to the natives 
were accumulated on the shore, not an article was 
pilfered or lost.* The countenances and gestures of 
the people indicated heart-felt sorrow for the calam- 
ity which had befallen the strangers. Columbus, in 
his journal, writes to Ferdinand and Isabella: 

*' So loving, so tractable, so peaceful are this peo- 
ple, that I declare to your majesties there is not, in 
the world, a better nation nor a better land. They 
love their neighbors as themselves. And their dis. 

* " Guacanagari was very careful that nothing should be lost 
lie himself stood guard over the things which were taken out of the. 
ship. He put all the effects under shelter, and placed guards around 
them. The wrecker's trade might flourish in Cornwall ; but, like 
other crimes of civilization, it was unknown in St. Domingo." -Lifk 
9/ Columbus, by Arthur Helps, p. 108. 



I20 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

course is ever sweet and gentle. And though it is 
true that they are naked, yet their manners are 
decorous and praiseworthy." 

Columbus and all his remaining men were now 
assembled on board the single caravel, Nina. Gua- 
canagari had given three houses, as a temporary shel- 
ter for the rescued goods and for such of the Span- 
iards as remained on shore. Seeing the eagerness 
with which the strangers sought ornaments of gold, 
he exerted himself to have all presented to them 
which could be obtained. The natives were exceed- 
ingly fond of dancing. Their childish delight was 
almost inexpressible, when, having attached the glit- 
tering and tinkling hawk's bells to their persons, they 
listened to the musical tones which responded to 
their movements. Very considerable quantities of 
gold were brought, in these small trinkets. Any 
amount which one had would be gratefully ex- 
changed for a hawk's bell. 

The admiral was invited to dine with Guacana- 
gari. He was deeply impressed with the unaffected 
dignity and refinement which the chief manifested an 
this occasion. The entertainment abounded with 
every luxury the island could afford. The king ate 
slowly and with moderation, like one accustomed to 
the usages of good society. The attendants served 
the prince and his guest with great politeness. The 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. 121 

30verei£^nt> on the island was hereditary and the 
people seemed to be deeply impressed with the dig- 
nity of illustrious birth. 

After dinner the chief conducted Columbus to 
the lovely groves which surrounded his truly beau- 
tiful home. A thousand of the natives, respectfully, 
and with every mark of affectionate interest, attended 
them. It did indeed appear like a scene in Eden. 
Though all were entirely naked, there was not the 
slightest sign of any indecorum. Several very inter- 
esting games were performed, by direction of the 
chief, to amuse his guest, who was evidently much 
oppressed by anxiety. 

Columbus endeavored to requite these attentions 
by the exhibition of a military parade. There was 
a Castilian on board, a veteran soldier, who could 
rival William Tell in the accuracy with which he 
could throw an arrow. These natives were men 
of peace. They lived upon fruit. They had nei- 
ther cultivated the arts of war nor of the chase. 
The Castilian brought to the entertainment his 
Moorish bow, and quiver of arrows. The chief was 
astounded in witnessing the force and accuracy with 
which the steel-pointed and deadly weapon could 
be thrown. 

Columbus informed the chief that he had weap- 
ons of far more terrible power. He ordered a large 
6 



122 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

cannon to be discharged, directing the ball against 
a tree at some distance. When they saw the light- 
ning flash, and heard the thunder peal, and per- 
ceived the path of the invisible bolt through the 
forest, crashing and rending the trees, their conster- 
nation threw them prostrate upon the ground. 
When they had, in some degree, recovered from the 
shock, Columbus arrayed all his available force for 
a military display. His men were marshalled, in bur- 
nished armor, and with keen-edged, polished swords, 
which glittered in the rays of the setting sun. They 
wheeled to and fro, keeping time to the music of 
the trumpet and the drum ; they performed man- 
CEuvres as beautiful as they were intricate. With loud 
yells they rushed forward in the charge. With un- 
broken ranks they fell back in the retreat. 

The natives clearly understood that these were 
all arrangements and movements for deadly war. 
To their mind it was clear that the Spaniards were 
invested with supernatural powers, for the destruc- 
tion of men. The thoughtful must have been per- 
plexed to decide whether they were angels oi 
demons. Their power seemed to indicate that they 
had aid from heaven. But why were they so armed 
with weapons of destruction, and so skilled in their 
use "^ They began to look upon their formidable 
g-aest.s with awe and terror. 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. I23 

Gradually Columbus, saddened by the wreck, re- 
gained serenity of mind. He and his men were liv 
ing in the luxurious enjoyment of a delightful climate 
and of delicious fruits. Every day his stores of gold 
were increasing. The loving-kindness with which 
the Spaniards were treated by the natives could 
not well have been exceeded. And to crown all, he. 
became convinced that there were inexhaustible 
mines of gold in the interior of the island. 

The Spanish sailors were quite fascinated with 
the easy and voluptuous life to which they had been 
introduced. They had escaped all the cares and toils 
of civilization. Fruit, of delicious flavor and frag- 
rance, hung from almost every bough. The rivers 
and the coast abounded with fish. They spent the 
day in indolent repose, beneath the shade of the 
groves; and in the coolness of the evenings the}- en- 
gaged with the amiable natives in their games, or 
danced, now to the music of the drum, and again to 
that of the native bands. In view of these scenes 
of apparent happiness, so seldom witnessed by the 
care-worn sons of Adam, Mr. Irving writes : 

" Such was the indolent and holiday life of tliese 
simple people ; which, if it had not the great scope 
of enjoyment, nor the high-seasoned poignancy of 
pleasure which atte ids civilization, was certainly des« 
titute of most of its artificial miseries. The venera 



124 CHRISTOPHEP COLUMBUS. 

ble Las Cases, speaking of their perfect nakedness 
observes, it seemed almost as if they were existing 
in the state of primeval innocence of our first par- 
ents, before their fall brought sin into the world. 
He might have added, that they seemed exempt 
likewise from the penalty inflicted on the children 
of Adam, that they should eat their bread by the 
sweat of their brow." 

Many of these adventurers had no disposition 
ever to return to the solicitudes and toils of Euro- 
pean life. Here they wanted for nothing. Colum- 
bus was besieged with applications for permission 
to remain upon the island. It would indeed be 
very uncomfortable, for so large a crew as that of 
both vessels united, to be crowded into one small 
caravel, for the return voyage. This suggested to 
the admiral to form the germ of a future colony, on 
the magnificent and beautiful island of Hispaniola. 
Leaving a small party behind to explore the island, 
to search out its sources of wealth, and to obtain all 
the additional gold in their power, he decided to 
return to Spain with the tidings of his great dis- 
covery, intending to come back with new ships and 
reinforcements. 

Guacanagari had informed him that there were 
hostile Indians, called Caribs, who occasionally made 
descents upon Hayti, and carried ofT many captives 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. 125 

This furnished an excuse to Columbus for bui.ding a 
fortress. The natives aided him with hearty good- 
will. It would afford them a grand protection against 
the Caribs. He armed the fort with the cannon 
whicl had been rescued from the wrecked ship. A 
small garrison was left, with ammunition and sup- 
plies for a year. 

No reliable tidings were heard from the Pinta. 
Columbus thought it very probable that she was 
lost. In that case but one small shattered bark 
remained, of the three which had sailed from Palos. 
Should that be lost, the great discovery would 
remain unknown. Columbus would be remembered 
only as a wild enthusiast, who had foolishly thrown 
away his life. He therefore decided no longer to ex- 
pose his frail craft to the peril of navigating unknown 
seas, but to return to Spain. 

There was no end to the kindness which Guacan- 
agari lavished upon Columbus. While the admiral 
was superintending the erection of the fortress, the 
chief assigned to him the largest house in the vil- 
lage. The floor was carpeted with ingeniously 
wo.-en palm leaves, and furnished with seats of pol- 
ished jet black wood, resembling ebony. Whenever 
he received Columbus, in his own residence, he met 
him with the dignity of a monarch, and invariably 



126 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

hun^ upon his neck a jewel of gold, or some other 
valuable present. 

At one time the chief visited the admiral, ac- 
panied b\' five subordinate chiefs. Each one brought 
a present o\ a coronet of gold. Guacanagari had a 
regal crown, wrought of this precious metal. He 
took it iVoni his own head, and placed it upon the head 
of his guest. Columbus, in return, hung a string of 
brilliantly colored be^ids upon the neck of the sov- 
ereign, invested him with his own crimson mantle o( 
finest fabric. ga\'e him a pair oi' colored boots, and 
placed upon his finger a silver ring, which the natives 
prized more hii::hlythan gold, as silver was not found 
upon the island. 

Columbus became quite elated with the prospect 
of obtaining a large quantity of gold. He began to 
regard his shipwreck as an indication of divine favor. 
He writes in his journal, describing his anticipations 
at tliat time : 

*• I hoped that, upon my return from Spain, I 
should und a ton of gold, obtained in traffic by those 
I had loft behind : and also mines and spijes dis- 
covered in such quantities, that the sovereigns, before 
three \ears. would be able to undertake a crusade 
for the deliverance of the Holy Sepulchre." 

Aided by the natives, the fortress, in ten days 
was erected and its armament placed in position 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES 12; 

Columbus had now such perfect confidence in the 
natives, that he deemed he had nothing to fear from 
them. Indeed he considered the fortress mainly 
necessary to hold his own lawless men in subjection. 
There was dansfer otherwise, that thev would wander 
evcr>'where over the island, committing acts of licen- 
tiousness which might exasperate the inhabitants. 
He named the fortress The Nativity, in grateful 
commemoration of the fact that he had escaped 
from shipwreck on Christmas day. 

Thirty-nine men were carefully selected to remain 
in the garrison.* These included a physician, and 
several mechanics skilful in their various callings. 
The command was intrusted to Diego de Arana. 
He was a cavalier, from Cordova, of eminent rank 
and of commanding powers. A strong boat was 
left to aid in fishing ; seeds for the culture of the 
ground, and an abundant supply of articles for traflfic 
with the natives. 

The hour for the departure arrived. Columbus 
assembled the garrison before him, and, in an earnest 
address, enjoined upon them the duty to treat with 
the utmost respect and friendship their illustrious 
benefactor, Guacanagari, and his chieftiins. He 

• Htips says that they were forty in number, and that among 
these there were one Irishman and one Englishman. — Life of C^ 
lumi^us, p. no. Other accounts give thirty- seven, thirty-eight, and 
thirty- nine. 



128 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

urged upon them to be always gentle and just in 
their intercourse with the natives ; and especially to 
be circumspect in their treatment of the native 
wives and daughters. He warned them not to scat- 
ter asunder, but to keep together. The commander, 
Arana, was instructed to make every effort to pro- 
cure gold, to search for mines, and to make him- 
self acquainted with all the productions of the 
island. 

On the 2d of January, 1493, Columbus gave a 
parting feast to Guacanagari and his chieftains. The 
whole crew was brought on shore, and his guests 
were entertained with military evolutions and sham 
fights. The Indians gazed with inexpressible amaze- 
ment and awe upon the long, glittering, keen-edged 
sword. And when the artillery was discharged, and 
the balls of stone, which were then used, shivered 
the trees, the thousands of natives, whom the occa- 
sion had assembled, trembled and rejoiced. They 
trembled in contemplating such tremendous powers 
of destruction ; rejoiced at the thought that they no 
longer need fear the Caribs. 

The next morning the signal gun for setting sail 
was fired. Responsive cheers rose from the garrison 
and the departing crew. A fair wind swept the 
ship beyond the curve of the eastern horizon 



ROMANTIC ADVENTURES. 1 29 

Through storms and perils the Nina ploughed its 
way toward Spain. The garrison was left to a fate 
hereafter to be described.* 

* The capital of Guacanagari was called Guarico. It is where 
the village of Petit Anse now stands ; about two miles south-east of 
Cape Haytien. Punta Santa was probably the present Point Picolet. 
The fort of the Nativity must have been erected near Plaut du Cap. 
The locality of the town of Guacanagari has always been known bf 
the n&me of Guarico. — Letter of T. S. Hemk£n, Esq 

6» 



CHAPTER VI. 

The Return Voyage, 

The Nina meets the Pinta — Rio de Gracia — A fierce ^ribe enconc- 
tered — The first conflict — Peace established — Life at sea — 
Terrific storm — Vows of the Admiral and crew — Distress of Co- 
lumbus — The parchment and cask — They reach the Azores 
— Troubles at St. Mary's — Continued storms — Enters the Tagus 
— Honors at Lisbon — Court intrigues — Reception at Palos — Ex- 
citement throughout Spain — Sad fate of Pinzon — Columbus at the 
Spanish Court. 

On the 4th of January, 1493, Columbus sailed 
from Hayti for Spain. With a gentle breeze ho 
glided almost beneath the shadow of a lofty and 
bald promontory, to which he gave the name of 
Monte Christo ; and which name it still retains. 
Baffled by calms and head winds, they made slow 
progress, still creeping along the shore of the island, 
whose grandeur and beauty seemed to be increasing- 
ly unfolded. They had advanced but about fifty 
miles when, on the 6th, the lookout at the mast 
head shouted, ** The Pinta, the Pinta." 

It was even so. By a singular chance the vessels- 
had met. Pinzon obeyed the signal of the admiral, 
and, followed him into a small bay, a little west o5 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. I3I 

Monte Christo, where both vessels cast anchor 
Pinzon made a lame excuse for his desertion, attribut- 
ing it to stress of weather. Columbus, though not 
deceived, deemed it politic to accept the apology. 
One of the seamen on board the Pinta stated that an 
Indian had very emphatically declared to the captain 
of the Pinta that, at the distance of but a few leagues 
to the eastward, there was a mine whence immense 
amounts of gold could be obtained. The cupidity of 
Pnizon was aroused. He thought he could load 
his ship speedily, and return to Spain with the pre- 
cious freight ; and that he could defend his conduct 
by alleging that he had been separated from Colum- 
bus in a storm. 

But the mine was sought for in vain. Pinzon 
found his vessel entangled in the midst of a number 
of small islands and shoals. He became alarmed. 
Should his vessel encounter any accident, by which 
it became disabled, it was scarcely possible that 
he could ever return to Spain. He therefore again 
directed his course toward Hispaniola : and it 
is probable that he was anxiously looking for the 
admiral. He had, however, during the separation, 
entered a river where, in a three weeks' sojourn, he 
had opened traffic with the natives, and had ob- 
tamed a considerable quantity of gold. One-half 
of this, it was said, he retained for himself, and the 



132 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

rest he distributed among the sailors to purchase 
their secrecy. 

On the evening of the 9th, the two vessels again 
set sail in company. The next day they cast anchor 
in the mouth of the river, where Pinzon had been 
trading. Columbus named it Rio de Gracia. It is 
now called Porto Caballo. The natives complained 
that Pinzon had violently carried off four men and 
two young girls. Columbus found them on board 
the Pinta. It was evident that Pinzon intended to 
sell them as slaves in Spain. Columbus ordered their 
immediate release. He also loaded them with pres- 
ents, as some recompense for the wrongs which they 
had endured. Pinzon was greatly offended, and 
yielded with reluctance and with angry words.* 

As they again weighed anchor, a gentle, but 
favorable wind wafted them along as far as what is 
now called Cape Cabron. Here they came upon 
a race of fierce savages. Their warriors were hid- 
eously painted like the braves of the North Amer- 
ican Indians. They were armed with war-clubs, 
and had bows of great strength. Their arrows 
were tipped with bone, or with very hard wood, and 
would penetrate the body with almost the force of 
a rifle-ball. They had also swords made of exceed- 
ingly hard wood, almost as heavy as iron. " They 

• Irving's '* Columbus," vol i. p. 246. 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. I33 

were not sharp," writes Las Casas, * but broad, of 
nearly the thickness of two fingers, and capable, 
with one blow, of cleaving through a helmet to 
the verj' brains." ^ 

These natives did not venture to make any attack 
upon the Spaniards. On the contrary, one of them 
went pleasantly on board the ship, and sold bows 
and arrows. Columbus probably misunderstood him 
to say, in the obscure language of signs, that there 
was an island, near by, inhabited exclusively by 
women. The Caribs occasionally visited them. Of 
the children that were born, the males were taken 
from the island, and the females were left with 
their mothers. Undoubtedly Columbus misunder- 
stood the man. It is hardly to be supposed thai 
the savage had a sufficient spirit of roguery to at- 
tempt thus to /loajtr the strangers. 

Columbus also understood that there were mer- 
maids, maids of the sea, in those waters. He saw 
some of these animals which they described. They 
were probably sea-calves. Their heads, when slightly 
elevated above the waves, somewhat resembled the 
human face. The admiral treated his intrepid guest 
with great kindness. He hoped thus to open 
friendly intercourse with the tribe. But it would 
appear that the bold savage had gone on board as a 

" Las Casas, " Hist. Ind." lib. i. cap 77. MS. 



134 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

spy. He was sent on shore, with many presents, in 
one of the ship's boats 

The moment he landed he gave a whoop, which 
instantly summoned a war party, from ambush, to 
his side. They endeavored to capture the boat's 
crew. Quite a fierce battle ensued. The Spaniards 
were much better armed than the natives. Having 
wounded two they put the rest to flight. This was 
the first contest, between the Europeans and the 
Indians, in the New World. Would that it had been 
the last. The conflict, thus commenced, raged, in 
subsequent years, with increasing violence, until the 
soil of nearly every island was crimsoned with blood, 
and the natives were entirely exterminated. 

Columbus was much grieved at this misadven- 
ture. He feared that it might result in a sanguin- 
ary attack upon his garrison by a resistless band 
of these fierce warriors. The next day a large 
party of the Indians appeared upon the beach. 
They made no hostile manifestations, but appeared 
friendly and confiding. A boat's crew, well armed, 
was sent on shore with a string of shell beads, which 
Columbus understood to be, with the Indians, like a 
flag of truce with civilized nations. 

The chief, with trust which seems astonishing 
■under the circumstances, entered the boat, accom- 
panied by three attendants, and was rowed out to 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. 1 35 

the admiral's ship. They were cordially received, 
and were feasted on the choicest viands which the 
ship afforded. All the wonders of the ship were 
exhibited to them, and they were returned to the 
shore with many gifts, which gathered around them 
throngs of admiring natives. The chief, in polite 
acknowledgment of these favors, sent to Columbus 
his crown of gold. It is to be inferred from subsequent 
narratives, that the name of this chief was Mayo- 
nabex, and that his tribe was called the Ciguayans. 

Kindness proved successful. Columbus remained 
in the bay two or three days. Friendly relations 
continued uninterrupted. The people, though al- 
ways thoroughly armed, brought freely on board the 
ships, cotton, and a great variety of vegetables and 
fruit. There were four intelligent and affectionate 
young men to whom Columbus became much at- 
tached. They voluntarily accompanied him, when 
he sailed, to some islands which they described as 
situated a few leagues to the east. 

On the i6th of January the ships sailed. The 
bay they left, now known as the Gulf of Samana, 
Columbus called the Gulf of Arrows. After sailing 
about sixty miles, as the ships were approaching 
Porto Rico, a very favorable breeze sprang up for 
the homeward voyage. The sailors, as they saw the 
ships diverging from the route to Spain, to visit the 



136 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

island, began to murmur, and to insist upon a return 
home. Columbus was conscious that he had no 
time to lose. His ship was in a leaky condition. 
The seamen were on the eve of insubordination 
He could place but little reliance in the good faith 
of Pinzon. Should shipwreck come, all his records 
might be buried, with himself, in the ocean ; and the 
knowledge of the great discovery would be lost to 
the world. 

He therefore, to the great joy of the crew, shifted 
sail and turned his course toward Spain. Probably 
he encountered but little difficulty in reconciling the 
four young Indians to this course, as he could prom 
ise, after showing them all the wonders of the old 
world, to bring them speedily back to their homes. 
The winds are proverbially fickle. During all the 
remainder of January there were light breezes, with 
occasional calms. The Indians would frequently 
plunge into the glassy water, and swim like fishes 
around the ships. 

These calms, as ever in human life, were succeeded 
by storms. Black tempests swept the ocean and 
the roaring billows threatened to engulf them. It 
was often necessary for the admiral to slacken sail, 
that the Pinta might keep pace with him. Amidst 
clouds and darkness and rushing billows they lost 
their reckoning. Pinzon and the two pilots differed 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. 1 37 

from Columbus as to their position. They thought 
that the ships were four hundred miles nearer Spain 
than Columbus thought them to be. Columbus was 
right. Las Casas makes the remarkable statement, 
that Columbus allowed them to remain in their 
error, and even endeavored to add to their perplex- 
ity, that they might have confused views of the voy- 
age, and that he alone might retain a clear knowl- 
edge of the route to be pursued.* 

We cannot credit this strange statement. Pin- 
zon and the three pilots were veteran seamen. 
Having been to the New World and back again, they 
could not be ignorant of the route to be pursued. 
On the 1 2th of February, as they were drawing near 
the end of their long voyage, a terrific storm arose, 
vvhich continued, with increasing violence, for three 
days. In this storm the Pinta was lost sight of. Co- 
ijmbus had every reason to fear that the frail caravel, 
with all it contained, was engulfed in the angry sea.*! 

After a dreadful night, a dismal morning dawned 
lurid and tempestuous. The ocean was lashed into 
fury, and nothing was to be seen but the maddened 
wa\'es, and nothing to be heard but their threaten- 

♦ Las Casas, " Hist. In ■■ ," lib. i. cap. 70. 

f " Columbus, during this voyage, sought to confuse the pilots ir 
their reckoning, so that he alone might possess a clear knowledge of 
the route ; a proceeding which elicits anything but censure from hij 
biographers." — Life of Columbus, by Aaron Goodrich, p. 211. 



138 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

ing roar. In accordance with the religion, or super- 
stition, of the times, lots were drawn to see who, if 
saved from the tempest, should make a pilgrimage 
to the shrine of the Virgin Mary at Gaudaloupe, 
bearing a wax taper of five pounds weight. Beans 
were placed in a cap, upon one of which a cross was 
marked. Columbus was the first to put in his hand. 
The lot fell on him. Lots were again cast for a pil- 
grimage to the shrine of the Virgin, at Loretto. It 
fell upon a seaman, by the name of Pedro de Villa. 
The admiral promised to bear all the expenses of 
his journey. 

The Virgin did not seem to pay much heed to 
these vows, for the storm continued to rage with 
unabated fury. To offer her a still higher reward, if 
she would interpose in their behalf, Columbus and all 
his crew united in a vow, that wherever they might 
first land, where there was a church dedicated to the 
Virgin, they would all go to her shrine, in solemn 
procession, barefooted and in their shirts only, to 
offer her prayers and praise? It is difficult to con- 
ceive why the Virgin could lake any pleasure in see- 
ing them present themselves before her in costume 
so disgraceful, that it would exclude them from every 
earthly court. 

Still the storm raged and howled. In these 
dreadfuJ perils, when Columbus thought far more of 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. 1 39 

the loss of his great discovery than the loss of his 
life, his agitated feehngs car be best expressed in his 
own words, addressed to the king. 

** I could have supported this evil fortune," he 
writes " with less grief, had my person alone been 
in jeopardy ; since I am debtor for my life to the 
Supreme Creator, and have, at other times, been 
within a step of death. But it was a cause of infinite 
sorrow and trouble to think that, after having been 
illuminated from on high, with faith and certainty 
to undertake this enterprise ; after having victori- 
ously achieved it : and when on the point of convin- 
cing my opponents, and securing to your highness 
great glory and vast increase of dominions, it should 
please the Divine Majesty to defeat all by my death. 
It would have been more supportable also, had I 
not been accompanied by others, who had been 
drawn on by my persuasions, and who, in their dis- 
tress, cursed not only the hour of their coming, but 
the fear inspired by my words, which prevented their 
turning back, as they had at various times determined. 

" Above all, my grief was doubled when I thought 
of my two sons, whom I had left at school in Cordova, 
destitute, in a strange land, without any testimony 
of the service rendered by their father, which, if 
known, might have inclined your highness to befriend 
them. And although on the one hand I was com 



140 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

forted by faith that the deity would not permit a 
work of such great exaltation to his church, wrought 
through so many troubles and contradictions, to re- 
main imperfect ; yet on the other hand, I reflected on 
my sins, as a punishment for which he might intent] 
that I should be deprived of the glory which 
would redound to me in this world."* 

In these hours of anxiety, Columbus wrote, on 
parchment, a brief account of his discovery. This, 
carefully sealed, was addressed to the king and queen. 
It was superscribed with the promise of a thousand 
ducats, about two thousand dollars, to whomsoever 
should deliver the packet unopened to their majes- 
ties. This was wrapped in a waxed envelope, and 
placed in a cake of wax. The whole was deposited in 
a strong water-tight cask, and cast into the raging sea 
It is not known that this memorial was ever found.f 

But gradually the storm abated. A gleam ol 
golden light, in the western sky, indicated, that th# 
fury of the tempest was over. In the night the starj 

* " Hist, del Almirante," cap. 36. 

f About the year 1852, a paragraph went the rounds cf the news- 
papers, announcing the discovery of this cask on the coast jf Afric-a 
by the captain of a ba'-que cahea the Chieftain, from Bostcn, Massa 
chusetls. The account was very circumstanti xl, and -Aas credited bj 
the French historian Lamartine, and many others. But, as d has nevei 
since been authenticated, it is now supposed that the story was in- 
v^snted by some ingenious newspaper corresponden . — See lielpf' 
Life of Columbus, p. 117, note. 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. I4I 

came out in all their brilliance. And in the morn- 
ing, though tumultuous waves still raged, the sun 
rose in a cloudless sky, and a favoring breeze swelled 
the sails. Just as the sun was rising, the joyful shout 
of ** Land " was heard. 

It proved, as Columbus supposed, one of the 
Azores, and was distant but about fifteen miles. 
But a strong head wind arose, which rapidly increased 
into another tempest. Thus baffled and driven back, 
it was not until the evening of the 17th that he cast 
anchor under the shelter of the northern side of St. 
Mary's Island, which was the most southern of the 
Azores group. The inhabitants were astonished 
that two such frail caravels could have survived the 
severity of the gales which, for fifteen days, had 
swept the ocean with almost unexampled fury. 

The devout Columbus reminded the crew of their 
vow, to repair, in procession, to the first church dedi- 
cated to the Virgin which they could find, wherever 
they might land. Faithfully the vow, not strange in 
those days, was fulfilled. One-half of the ship's 
company went first, with a priest to perform mass. 
All were destitute of clothing, save only their shirts. 

St. Mary's was a Portuguese island. When the 
first procession appeared, in such unseemly guise, all 
the rabble of the village was gathered around them. 
The governor, surprised at the exhibition, and not 



142 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

knowinfj what it signified, headed a squadron oi 
dragoons, and arrested them all. The naked men 
were in no condition to fight. The chapel was hid 
from the sight of Columbus by an intervening point 
of land. But when he ascertained what had taken 
place, he attributed it to the hostility which the Por- 
tuguese court had already manifested toward him and 
his enterprise. 

He had an interview with the governor. Angry 
words were interchanged. The governor, Castaneda, 
was not in an amiable mood. Assuming a defiant 
air, he declared that all he had done was in conform- 
ity with the commands of the king. Columbus 
greatly feared that war had broken out, during his 
absence, between Spain and Portugal. He armed 
all his men, and made vigorous preparations to resist 
any attempt to capture him. A strong wind rose, 
blowing directly upon the shore. The anchorage 
was not safe. He was compelled to stand out to sea. 
For two days he continued beating about, in much 
peril, with half of his crew arrested. 

The weather moderated on the evening of the 
22d. Returning to his anchotage, a Portuguese 
boat came to the ship, bearing two priests and an 
important officer of government. 

This governmental official was much more con 
ciliatory in his demeanor than Casteneda had been 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. 1 43 

In the name of the governor he requested a sight of 
the ship's papers. It seems that the governor had 
taken them for pirates, with which all seas were 
then infested. Columbus, still suspicious that he 
was treacherously pursued, showed his letters of 
commission. This gave entire satisfaction. The 
naked pilgrims were then liberated. 

Another explanation of this difficulty, but not so 
plausible, is suggested both by Las Casas, and by 
Ferdinand, the son of Columbus. It is said that the 
King of Portugal, jealous of the renown which her 
great rival Spain, would gain, should Columbus prove 
successful, had sent orders to all her distant ports 
that the admiral should be arrested wherever he- 
might be found. Castaneda hoped to surprise 
Columbus in the chapel. Failing in that, he endeav- 
ored to get possession of his person by stratagem. 
He was prevented from accomplishing this, by the 
fact that Columbus had armed his crew, and was on 
his guard. The improbability of this explanation 
must be obvious to every intelligent reader."^ 

Matters being thus settled, Columbus, barefooted 
and bareheaded, led the other half of the crew, in the 
fulfilment of his vow, to the shrine of Our Lady. 
No tidings were heard from Pinzon. It was prob- 

* " Hist, del Almirante," cap. 39; Las Casas, "Hist. Ind.," lib.. 
1. cap. 72. 



144 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

able that he was lost. After the delay of about five 
days at St. Mary's, Columbus, on the 24th of Feb* 
ruary, again set sail. When within about three 
hundred miles of Cape St. Vincent, another gale 
was encountered. At length a few murmurs escaped 
the lips of the heioic admiral. He seemed to think 
it hard that, after struggling against so many storms, 
he should again be assailed so fiercely, when at the 
very door of his house. 

In the tropical paradise which he had discovered 
scarcely a rude blast had assailed him. There he 
had enjoyed sunny skies, balmy breezes, and an ever- 
tranquil sea. He rode out the storm in safety. 
"Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth." The 
truly good Las Casas suggests that these many 
trials were intended to save the illustrious discoverer 
from undue pride, in the contemplation of his mar- 
vellous achievement. Thus he might be prevented 
from arrogating to himself the glory of a discovery 
which was all due to God. And thus he might be 
taugh* that he was only a humble instrument in the 
hand of the Almighty."^ 

At day-break on the 4th of March, the eyes of 
Columbus were cheered by the familiar sight of the 
rock of Cintra, just off the mouth of the Tagus, in 
Portugal. Though he had many fears of treachery 

* Las Ca.-,as, " Hist. Ind.," lib. i. cap 73. 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. 1 45. 

on the part of the Portuguese court, the tempestuo'is 
weather compelled him to run into the river for shel- 
ter. At three o'clock in the afternoon he reached safe 
anchorage, opposite the Rastello. The peop^.e on 
the shore liad been all the morning watching the 
frail .caravel struggling against the storm. Every 
moment they had expected to see it engulfed by the 
huge billows which were assailing it. They crowded 
on board, congratulating the ship's company upon 
their miraculous preservation. The most experi- 
enced mariners testified that they had never known 
a winter of such continuous and terrific storms. 

Columbus immediately sent a courier to the Span- 
ish court, to announce his arrival. He also wrote to 
the Portuguese court, soliciting permission to enter 
the port of Lisbon. There was a large Portuguese 
man-of-war at anchor in the roadstead. It was sta- 
tioned there, on guard. The next day, the Portu- 
guese captain summoned the Spanish admiral on 
board his ship. Columbus stood upon his dignity 
asserted his rights, and refused either to go himself 
or to send any one in his stead. As soon as the cap 
tain, Don Alonzo de Acuna, learned the rank ol 
Columbus, and the extraordinary voyage he had 
made he treated him with all the homage with 
which ore brave man could regard another. He 
manned his largest boat decorated it with banners,. 
7 



146 CHRISTOPHER COLUMh Jb. 

placed on board his well-trained musical band and 
taking his seat in the stern, paid the admiral a visit. 
Fully recognizing his rank, and the great service he 
had rendered the world, he politely placed himself 
and his ship at the disposal of the great discoverer. 

When the tidings reached Lisbon, that Columbus, 
who had so long and unavailingly implored the aid 
of the Portuguese court, had actually discovered a 
new world, and that, returning from his triumphant 
voyage, he was safely anchored in the Tagus, the 
excitement almost surpassed all conceivable bounds. 
Barges and boats of every kind crowded the river, 
and swarmed around the caravel, which was freighted 
with inhabitants and productions as strange as if 
they had been brought from the remotest star in the 
firmament. All ages, both sexes, and all conditions 
of society, shared in the boundless curiosity. 

From morning till night the ship was thronged 
A'ith visitors. All the energies of Columbus and his 
crew were taxed, in telling over and over again the 
story of their adventures. First of all, the Indians, 
who were dressed in the glittering costume of bril 
liantly colored fringes and plumes, which constituted 
their dress on a gala-day, attracted the gaze of the 
multitude. The accumulated gold seemed wonder- 
ful. The plants and animals were different trom any 
which had before been seen. The re£;ret was intense 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. 147 

with both the court and the people, that so immense 
an acquisition had been lost to Portugal * 

King John was then at Valparaiso, about thirty 
miles from Lisbon. On the 8th of March, a Portu- 
guese grandee came from the king to Columbus, to 
congratulate him upon his arrival, and to invite him lo 
his court. A ro}al order was also issued, that every- 
thing the admiral required, for himself, his vessel, oi 
his crew, should be furnished without cost. Colum- 
bus immediately set out for Valparaiso. The king 
had made arrangements that he should be sumptu- 
ously entertained on the way. 

When he approached the palace, all the principal 
members of the royal household came out to meet 
him, and to escort him to the presence of the king. 
The monarch received him with all possible honor, 
gave him a seat by his side, as though he were a 
prince with royal blood in his veins, and assured 
him that everything in his kingdom, which could be 
of service to him, was at his command. 

* Mr. Goodrich writes : " And then he wrote to t^ e King of Porlu 
gal, informing him of his discoveries, and demanding permission to 
go on to Lisbon, averring that he would be more safe, as the repcrt 
concerning the gold might tempt the people whrre he then was, to 
rob him. We are not surprised, knowing the boastful false pride of 
the man, to find him contemptibly elated at being: thus able to flaunt 
hia discovery in the face of a prince who had refused to engage in it i 
but the arrogance and boastfulness of the pirate become admiral, 
exceed all belief." — Life of Columbus , p. Zl^. 



J48 CHRISTOPHER COLLWUJUS. 

The king listened with commingled feelings of 
pleasure and of intense regret, to his recital of the 
wealth and beauty and vast population of the won- 
derful world which Columbus, by his discovery, 
seemed to have presented to the Spanish mon- 
archy. Columbus was, that night, assigned to 
the hospitality of one of the highest nobles of the 
court. The next day the king sought another inter- 
view. During the night he had apparently prepared 
himself with a series of the minutest questions, in 
reference to the route taken in the voyage, the cli- 
mate, soil, and productions of the regions he had vis- 
ited, and the prospect of obtaining gold. 

A mean spirit of envy and jealousy pursued the 
admiral. Those who had derided his enterprise, 
now endeavored, in every way, to underrate his ser- 
vices. They attributed his actions to the most igno- 
ble motives. They decried the value of the dis- 
covery. They accused him of a boastful and vain- 
glorious spirit, and held him up to ridicule in every 
way in their power. The quotations we have made 
frorr the book of Mr. Aaron Goodrich will show the 
kind of representations which the enemies of Co- 
lumbus might make of his conduct and career. 

Mr. Irving writes : 

** Seeing the king much perturbed in spirit, some 
went even so far as to propose, as a means of imped- 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. I49 

hig the prosecution of these enterprises, that Co- 
lumbus should be assassinated ; declaring that he 
deserved death, for attempting to deceive and em- 
broil the two nations, by his pretended discoveries. 
It was suggested that his assassination might easily 
be accomplished, without incurring any odium ; ad- 
vantage might be taken of his lofty deportment, to 
pique his pride, provoke him into an altercation, and 
then despatch him, as if in a casual and honorable 
encounter.* 

This fact is asserted by several historians, both 
Portuguese and Spanish. Indeed, there was hardly 
any wickedness which, in those dark days, could 
not find advocates in the courts of Europe. But 
King John II. rejected the infamous proposal, though 
he was chagrined beyond measure, in contemplating 
ihe loss Portugal had incurred, and the wealth and 
renown Spain had gained, in consequence of his 
rejection of the enterprise of Columbus. 

Some of the king's council proposed that Co- 
lumbus should be permitted to return to Spain, and 
that a powerful armament should be immediately 
despatched, to take possession of the newly dis- 
covered countries in the name of Portugal, by ex- 
tending the explorations and establishing colonies.. 
The king ignobly accepted this suggestion. Vigor* 

* living's •* Life of Columbus," vol. i. p. 272 



I50 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

ous but secret measures were pursued for fitting 
out the squadron, and one of the most distinguished 
captains of the age, Don Francisco de Almeida, was 
placed in command. 

Columbus was escorted to his ship by a numer- 
ous train of cavaliers. The queen was at a convent 
at Villa Franca. At her earnest request Columbus 
stopped there, and was received with the most flat- 
tering attentions. The queen was surrounded by 
the most distinguished ladies of the kingdom. With 
intensest interest they listened to the recital of Co- 
lumbus, which was more full of romantic adventure 
than the fictitious narratives of the most admired 
novelists. 

The admiral, returning to the Nina^ put to sea 
on the 13th of March. A two days' sail brought 
him to Palos. It was mid-day when his solitary 
caravel entered the harbor. He had left the port 
on the 3d of August of the preceding year. Thus 
he had been absent not quite seven months, on 
this most memorable voyage which had ever been 
undertaken.* 

* From Lisbon Columbus wrote to Ferdinand and Isabella a letter, 
which closed with the following words. " Let the king and queen, 
our princes, and their most happy kingdom, and all the other prov- 
inces of Christendom, render thanks to our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ, who has granted us so great a victory, and such prosperity. 
Let processions be mad'-, and sacred feasts be held, and the templee 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. 151 

The return of Columbus to Palos, with proof 
which could not be questioned of his amazing dis- 
covery, created a scene of excitement such as has 
rarely been witnessed on this globe. As the months 
passed slowly away, and no tidings were heard, it 
was generally supposed that all engaged in this ex- 
pedition had perished, in the midst of the mysteri- 
ous perils of an unknown sea. 

The appearance of the storm-beaten caravel, 
slowly ascending the harbor, conveyed the first news 
of the adventurers since their departure. The Nina 
was alone. Both of the other vessels had disap- 
peared. The terrible storms, which had raged during 
the winter, had increased the popular apprehension 
that both of the other vessels had been swallowed 
up by the angry billows. Terrible was the suspense. 
There was hardly a family in Palos who had not some 
friend or relative in the expedition. As soon as the 
vessel reached her anchorage, and it was announced 
that the voyage had been entirely successful, that the 
crew of the Santa Maria were on board the Nina^ 
a'^d that they had parted company with the Pinta 

';e adorned with festive boughs. Let Christ rejoice or. earth, as lie 
rejoices in heaven, in the prospect of the salvation of the souls of so 
many nations hitherto lost, l.^t us also rejoice, as well on account 
of the exaltation of our faith, as on account of the increase of our tem- 
poral prosperity, of which not only Spain, but all Christendom, will b« 
{MUtakers." — S^Uci Letters of Christopher Columbus, p. 17. 



152 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

only a few days before, the joy was indescribable 
One of the first acts of this devout man was to 
repair, with his whole ship's company, to the church, 
to offer thanks to God for their safe return. 

The glad tidings swept over Spain like fire on 
the prairies. Bonfires blazed on every eminence, 
salutes were fired from every fortress, and from 
every church steeple the bells rang exultant peals. 
To add to the joy, on the evening of this very day, 
and while the bells were ringing, the cannon boom- 
ing, and the populace shouting, the Pinta entered 
the harbor. Driven before the gale, Pinzon had 
succeeded in making the port of Bayonne, in the 
Bay of Biscay, where he awaited the subsidence of 
the storm. 

When he entered the port of Palos, and witnessed 
the enthusiasm with which Columbus was received, 
it is probable that his consciousness of his crime, in 
deserting the admiral, oppressed him in the deepest 
decree. It was his one fault. It was like the deser- 
tion of a soldier on the field of battle, and exposed 
him to arrest and severe punishuient. So deep was 
his chagrin, that he took a boat landed privately, 
and repairing to his home, did not show himself in 
the streets until after the admiral's departure, on 
his journey to the court. 

This unhappy defection is greatly to be regretted 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. 1 53 

It cannot be denied that the success of the expe- 
dition was in no inconsiderable degree due to Martin 
Alonzo Pinzon. He was one of the first, in Spain, to 
appreciate the plans of Columbus. He aided the 
^oor adventurer liberally, with his purse and his per- 
sonal influence. He assisted effectually in procur- 
ing and fitting out ships. And finally he embarked 
A'ith his brother and friends, in the expedition, thus 
staking, not only his property but his life, on the 
event. 

It should also be said, in mitigation of too severe 
a judgment, that he was a seaman of great profes- 
sional experience and skill. In that respect, he was 
not inferior to Columbus. He was a man of high 
position, and inspired by a lofty ambition. Well 
does Mr. Irving say : 

** His story shows how one lapse from duty may 
counterbalance the merit of a thoi.sand services; 
how one moment of weakness may mar the beauty 
of a whole life of virtue ; and how important it is for 
a man, under all circumstances, to be true, not merely 
to others, but to himself." 

Pinzon was in disgrace. He was forbidden to 
appear at court. He was soon seized by a fatal 
malady, which was probably aggravated by mental 
suffering, and died. Subsequently, the Emperor 
Charles V., in recognition of his en\inent services 
7* 



154 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUb. 

granted the family the rank and privileges of i.obility 
A coat-of-arms was also conferred upon them, em 
blematical of the great discovery. 

The king and queen were at Barcelona, a distance 
of about seven hundred miles from Palos. A de- 
spatch was immediately sent to Columbus, requesting 
him to repair to the court. This rendered it neces- 
sary for him to traverse the long route, which, under 
the circumstances, could not fail to prove a triumphal 
march. He had taken with him, from the island, 
ten Indians. One had died on the voyage. Three 
were left sick in Palos. Six accompanied him to 
the court. 

The season of the year, for this long journey 
through the heart of Spain, was delightful. Nearly 
every mile of the way Columbus received a jubilant 
welcome, such as no mortal probably ever received 
before. The Indians, who accompanied him, were 
gorgeously decorated with golden ornaments and 
coronets, and with brilliantly colored plumes. All 
the most showy products of the new world were dis- 
played to the admiring thousands. 

The cavalcade was very imposing. Columbus 
rode a fine horse, and was accompanied by a large 
retinue. The country, all along the road, poured 
forth its thousands to witness the pageant. Eagei 
spectators filled the streets, windows, and balconies. 



I 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. 1 55 

Never did imperial triumph surpass this show It 
was about the middle of April when he reached 
Barcelona. Most of the nobles of Castile and of Ara- 
gon were assembled there to do him honor. As the 
cavalcade approached the city, they all came forth^ 
in a large procession, to escort him to the presence 
of the sovereigns. 

Ferdinand and Isabella, with their royal son, 
Prince John, were seated beneath a silken canopy, in 
a vast saloon prepared for the occasion. The nobles 
and the illustrious personages of the two realms 
crowded the apartment. As Columbus entered, 
every eye was riveted upon him. 

** He was conspicuous," writes Las Casas, '* for 
his tall and majestic person, his dignified bearing, 
and his expressive features. His long gray locks 
added to his venerable appearance. A modest smile 
played upon his countenance, showing that he was 
not insensible to the homage he was receiving." * 

As Columbus approached the sovereigns they 
paid him the remarkable respect of rising, and invit- 
ing him to take a seat at their side. This was an 
honor conferred only on persons of the highest rank, 
Columbus, in accordance with court etiquette, 
kneeled, and offered to kiss their hands. With some 
hesitpncy they yielded to the ceremony. Being 

• Las Casas " Hist Ind.," lib. i. cap. 78. MS. 



i5<^ ClIklsrOPHER COLUMBUS. 

seated, the admiral gave an account, to the roypj 
pair and the immense audience, of the remarkable 
events of his voyage. He displayed the birds of the 
country, of wonderfully gorgeous plumage, some liv- 
ing and others stuffed. Gold-dust, gold nuggctS; 
golden ornaments, and especially golden coronets, 
vi^rought with all the ingenuity barbaric art could 
give, attracted the eager attention of monarchs and 
nobles, who alike hungered and thirsted for gold. 
The natives, tall, with forms which no statuary could 
surpass, with pleasing smiles and affectionate man- 
ners, and carefully dressed in the picturesque garb 
of their courtly festivals, attracted intense and inex- 
haustible interest. 

It is worthy of comment that, at the close of the 
narrative, the king and queen, and the whole united 
audience, fell upon their knees, clasped their hands, 
and thus united in the thanksgiving breathed forth 
by the choir, in the majestic anthem," Te Deum Lau^ 
damns " — Thee, God. we praise. There were no 
shouts, no noisy demonstrations. The feelings ex. 
cited were too deep for mirth. Tears dimmed many 
eyes. Las Casas writes : 

** The souls of the auditors were, in that SDlemn 
hour, so borne up to heaven that it seemed as if 
they communicated with celestial delights." 

Alas ! for man. This discovery, which might 



THE RETURN VOYAGE. 157 

have been an immeasurable blessing to all, had the 
fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man been 
recognized, proved, through the depravity of our 
fallen race, a curse to the inhabitants of the nevi 
world, the enormity of which can never be known^ 
until, at the Day of Judgment, the secrets of all 
hearts shall be revealed. 

It was an age of darkness. Scarcely an Individ- 
ual could be found who had risen above the fanat- 
icism and superstition of the times. Columbus must 
be judged by the light of the fifteenth, and not by 
that of the nineteenth century. He was still ponder- 
ing his grand scheme for the deliverance of the Holy 
Sepulchre. To this enterprise he was to devote all 
the wealth he might gain from his great discovery. 
Gold and renown were nothing to him, only as instru- 
ments for the furtherance of his pious plan, upon 
which he could not doubt that God was looking with 
approbation. His anticipations were so sanguine 
that he made a vow that, within seven years, he 
would furnish an army of fifty thousand foot, and 
four thousand horse, for the rescue of Palestine from 
the Turks. 

This visionary project had become entwined 
with all the fibres of his intellectual and moral nature, 
He deemed himself raised by heaven, and divinely 
inspired for his great discovery in order that he 



:58 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

might successfully prosecute this holy crusade, for 
the glory of God and the welfare of man. " It 
shows," writes Mr. Irving, " how much his mind was 
elevated above selfish and mercenary views ; how it 
was filled with those devout and heroic schemes, 
which, in the time of the crusades, had inflamed the 
thoughts and directed the enterprises of the bravest 
«^^arriors and the most illustrious princes." * 

♦ Irving's " Life of Columbus," vol. i, p. 886. 



CHAPTER VIL 

The Second Voyage, 

Excitement throughout Europe — The Coat-of-Arms — Pension art. 
judged to Columbus — Anecdote of the Egg — The Papal sanc- 
tion — Religious zeal of Isabella — Designs of Portugal — The nevi 
armament — General enthusiasm — Sailing of the fleet — The pleas- 
ant voyage — Electric phenomenon — Cruise through the Antilles — 
Lost in the woods — Conflict between the boats — Porto Rico — 
The Caribbee Islands — The approach to Hayti — The Gulf of 
Samana — La Navidad reached — Fate of the colony. 

The excitement created by the discovery of 
Columbus' spread through the whole civilized world. 
Genoa exulted in the boast that sh^ had given birth 
to the great discover. England was then but an in- 
ferior maritime power. When the tidings reached 
London, the event was declared to be more divine 
than human. Sebastian Cabot was then in London. 
The news inspired him with intense desires to emu 
late achievements so heroic. Thus he was led to tht 
renowned voyages which have given immortality to 
his name. In illustration of the emotions excited in 
the minds of the learned of that day, I will give 
a 1 1 'cf extract from a letter from Peter Martyr 



l6o CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. - 

to his philosophic friend, Pomponius Laetus. He 
writes : 

** You tell me, my amiable Pomponius, that yon 
leaped foi j^y, and that your delight was mingled 
with tears when you read my epistle, certifying to 
you the hitherto hidden world of the antipodes. 
You have felt and acted as became a man eminent 
for learning ; for I can conceive no aliment more 
delicious than such tidings to a cultivated and ingen- 
uous mind. I feel a wonderful exultation of spirits, 
when I converse with intelligent men who have 
returned from those regions. It is like an accession 
of wealth to a miser. Our minds, soiled and debased 
by the common concerns of life and the vices of 
society, become elevated and ameliorated by con- 
templating such glorious events." * 

Still no one comprehended the real significance 
of the discovery. It was universally believed, by 
Columbus, and by all others persons, that he had 
found a new route to vast realms of India, which had 
never yet been visited by civilized men. The idea 
had as yet entered no mind, that the newly discov- 
ered countries were parts of an entirely unknown 
continent, separated from India, as well as from Eu- 
rope and Africa, by thousands of miles of ocean. 
The lands were therefore called the West Indies. 
And as the region had never been explored before, 

* " Letters of Peter Martyr," let. 153. 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. l6l 

and was, apparently, of measureless magnitude, it 
was entitled to the appellation of a New World. 

While Columbus was at Barcelona, he was the 
object of universal attention. The king and queen 
were continually showing him the most remarkable 
proofs of their favor. Ferdinand often rode on 
horseback, with Columbus on one side, and the 
king's son. Prince John, on the other. A coat-of- 
arms was assigned him, to perpetuate the memory 
of his achievements. The astonishing honor was 
conferred upon him of quartering the royal arms 
of Castile and Leon, with a group of islands sur- 
rounded by waves, with the motto annexed: 

To Castile and Leon, 
Columbus gave a New World. 

To Columbus was adjudged the pension which 
the sovereigns had promised to the one who should 
first discover land. Many thought that this was not 
a just decision. It is not certain that the light 
which Columbus saw, " which appeared like a can- 
dle, and went up and down,' was from the island. 
Indeed there are pretty strong arguments to indicate 
that it could not have been. Mr. Helps writes : 

** Their highnesses had promised a pension of 
ten thousand marevedi,* to the fortunate man who 

* This was about three thousand dollars : but considerably more^ 
if we estimate the comparative value of money in those days. A mar 
revedi was a small coin, worth about three mills of our curiency. 



l62 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

should see land first. The Pinta was the foremost 
vessel. It was from her deck, at two o'clock in the 
morning, that land was first seen by Rodrigo de 
Triana. We cannot but be sorry for this poor com- 
mon sailor, who got no reward. The pension was 
adjudged to the admiral." * 

Mr. Irving writes, " It may, at first sight, appear 
but little accordant with the acknowledged maena- 
nimity of Columbus, to have borne away the prize 
from this poor sailor ; but this was a subject to 
which his whole ambition was involved, and he was 
doubtless proud of the honor of being personally the 
discoverer of the land, as well as projector of the 
enterprise." f 

This may explain his conduct, but does not excuse 
it. It would have redounded far more to the repu- 
tation of Columbus, if he had said, "There is some 
uncertainty about the light I saw, but none what- 
ever about the land first seen by Triana. Therefore 
the sailor is entitled to the pension." \ 

It was while Columbus was at Barcelona, that the 

* " Life of Columbus," by Arthur Helps, p. 92. 

f " Life of Columbus," vol. i. p. 290. 

\ Oviedo, in his " Cronico de las Indias," lib. ii. cap. 2, says ibar 
Rodrigo de Triana was so chagrined at the injustice which \\t tlu uglM 
had been done him. that he renounced his country and faith. Cmiiin 
to Africa he turned Mussulman. We do not, however, find any coriob' 
oration of this statement ; and Oviedo does not enjoy the repjiarioD 
of a reliable historian 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. 10 j 

well-known incident in reference to the egg is said 
to have taken place. According to the story, Pedro 
Gonzales de Mendoza, Grand Cardioal of Spain, and 
in rank the first subject of the realm, invited Colum- 
bus to a banquet. The admiral was assigned the 
most honorable seat at the table. One of the cour- 
tiers, jealous of the honors which were showered 
upon the discoverer, asked him whether he thought, 
if he had not discovered the Indies, no one else 
could have done so. Columbus made no reply. But 
taking an Qgg, invited each one of the company to 
try if he could make it stand upon one end. All 
attempted it in vain. Columbus struck the egg 
gently upon the table, so as to break the end, leaving 
it standing upon the broken part. Thus he illus- 
trated the fact that it would be very easy to follow 
the path to the New World, now that he had pointed 
out the way.* 

The doctrine was, at this time, established by the 
Papal Church, that its emissaries had a right to 
invade and take possession of all the territories of 
heathen nations, that the sway of the church might 

* Mr. Irving comments as follows upon this statement. " This 
anecdote rests on the authority of the Italian historian, Benzoni. It 
has been condemned as trivial. But the simplicity of the reproof con- 
stitutes its severity ; and it was characteristic of the practical sagacity 
of Columbus. The universal popularity of the anecdote, is a proof 
of its merit." — Li/e of Columbus, vol. i. p. 2qi. note. 



104 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

be extended. The Spanish sovereigns immediately 
applied to the Pope for his sanction of their claim 
to all the realms they had discovered. Pope Martin 
V^. had conceded to the crown of Portugal, all the 
Ian(is it might discover, from Cape Bojador to th^ 
Indies. The King of Portugal endeavored to found a 
claim, upon this grant, to the realms Columbus had 
discovered. In the application which the Spanish 
monarchs made to Pope Alexander VI., they stated 
that the present discoveries did not interfere with 
the Portuguese possessions. 

Ferdinand and Isabella were considered devoted 
children of the Church. Their expulsion of the 
infidel Moors from Spain was deemed a holy cru- 
sade. The Pope readily granted their request. To 
prevent any conflicting claims, an ideal line was 
drawn, from the north to the south pole, three hun- 
dred miles west of the Azores. All land, west of 
this line, which the Spanish navigators might dis- 
cover, was to belong to the Spanish crown ; all east, 
to Portugal. In reference to this division, several 
cbvious difficulties arise, which were not at the time 
considered.* 

* There can be no question of the correctness of the following 
account of Isabella, by Mr. Arthur Helps. " Methinks I can still see 
her beautiful majestic face, as it looks down upon the beholder from 
one of the chapels of the cathedral in Grenada ; a countenance too 
expressi\e and individual to be what painters give as tha^ 'jf an angel 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. l6f 

Great exerticns were immediately made to fit out 
a Second Expedition. In this world, virtue and vice 
are found in strange blending. The funds for this 
expedition were raised, part from the church tithes 
and part from the confiscated property of the Jews. 
who, simply because they were Jews, had been ex- 
pelled from Spain and robbed of all their posses- 
sions. The conversion of the heathen was deemed 
one of the most important objects of the enterprise. 
No candid man will say that this was hypocrisy on 
the part of the Spanish monarchs. 

Twelve learned ecclesiastics were selected to 
accompany the expedition. Bernardo Boyle was 
appointed over them, as the apostolical vicar. Isa- 
bella, from her own purse, supplied him with orna- 
ments and vestments, to give brilliance to the cere- 
monies of the church. 

" Isabella, from the first," writes Irving, ** took 
the most warm and compassionate interest in the 
welfare of the Indians, Won by the accounts given 
by Columbus, of their gentleness and simplicity, and 

a.'-d yet the next thing to it. What she would say, in her (.efence 
were we to interrogate her, is, that she obeyed the voice of heaven, 
taking the wise and good men of her day as its interpreters. Oh, tha» 
she had persisted in listening to it, as it spoke in her own kindly 
heart. But at least the poor Indian can utter nothing but blessings 
on her. He might have needed no other protector, had she lived. 
Nor would slavery have found, in his fate, one of the darkest and 
most fatal chapters in its history. — Life of Columbus p. q6. 



i66 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

looking upon them as committed, by heaven, to he« 
especial care, her heart was filled with concern at 
their destitute and ignorant condition. She ordered 
that great care should be taken of their religious 
instruction ; that they should be treated with the 
utmost kindness ; and enjoined Columbus to inflict 
signal punishment on all Spaniards who should be 
guilty of outrage or injustice toward them." * 

The six Indians, who were brought to Barcelona, 
were baptized, with very imposing ceremonies, in the 
cathedral. The royal family were all present, and 
the king and queen officiated as sponsors. One of 
the natives soon after died. In accordance with the 
cruel theology of the age, Herrera writes: " We are 
bound, by our faith, to believe that he w^as the first 
of his nation that entered heaven." f 

The court confirmed Columbus in his titles, pre' 
rogatives, and emoluments, as Viceroy, Admiral, and 
Governor of all the countries he had or might dis- 
cover. On the 28th 01 May, Columbus left Barce- 
lona for Seville. Spies announced that Portugal was 
making hurried preparations for an expedition to 
seize upon the newly discovered countries. Very 
unfriendly relations began to spring up between the 
two governments. Ferdinand sent a letter to the 

♦ " Life of Columbus," vol. i. p. 301. 

♦ Herrera, " Hist. Ind." dec id. i. lib. ii. cap. 5. 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. l6; 

Portuguese court, prohibiting the Portuguese navi. 
gators from visiting the newly discovered lands. A 
very curious and keen diplomatic contest ensued, 
which we have not space to describe. Intrigue and 
cunning, on both sides, took the place of fair, honest, 
and honorable dealing. 

Columbus seems to have been a stranger to these 
court intrigues. All his energies, at Seville, were 
concentrated upon fitting out his new armament. A 
fleet of seventeen vessels, large and small, was pre- 
pared. Arrangements were made for the establish- 
ment of a colony, of farmers, mechanics, and profes- 
sional gentlemen. Horses, cattle, and domestic ani- 
mals of all kinds, were provided, to stock the settle- 
ment. Plants and seeds were gathered ; and all arti- 
cles of traffic which experience taught them would 
be in demand by the Indians. General enthusiasm 
was aroused. There was scarcely any end to the 
applications to join the expedition. Many of the 
highest grandees, and prominent officers in the army 
and the navy, sought for passage, at their own cost 
An army of European adventurers was thus upon the 
eve of falling, like an avalanche, upon the helpless 
natives. There was perhaps, no power, in the court, 
or in the truly good men of the expedition, to pro- 
tect the Indians from their encroachments. 

It is not strano-e that this enthusiasm should have 



l68 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

swept wildly over the land. The world-weary and 
the care-worn were told that here were islands as of 
the blessed. Here there was no winter, no toil. 
Bowers, as of paradise, invited to repose. The bloom 
of Eden was everywhere around. Delicious fruit 
hung from the boughs, amply sufficient to satiate all 
hunger and all thirst. Beneath those sunny skies, hfe 
was but a continuous gala day. It is not to be 
wondered at that hundreds and thousands should 
have been lured, by these visions, to seek refuge 
from labor and care amidst the groves, bowers, fruit- 
age, and songs of this earthly paradise. 

One of the most distinguished men who em- 
barked on this expedition, was Don Alonzo de 
Ojeda. We shall often have occasion to refer to his 
name. He was of illustrious birth, being closely 
related to the Grand Inquisitor of Spain, and having 
been brought up under the patronage of the Duke 
of Medina Celi, who, in wealth, pride, and power, 
rivalled the Spanish monarchs. He was a fearless, 
reckless cavalier, rejoicing in the most perilous ad- 
ventures, and a man without fear. 

The whole company which embarked in the 
ships amounted to fifteen hundred. Columbus was 
provided with a gorgeous retinue, that he might 
maintain, with suitable dignity, his high position as 
viceroy. On the 28th of September, 1493, the fleet 



THE SECOND VOV^AGE. 169 

commenced its voyage from the bay of Cadiz. It 
was a lovely morning. A propitious breeze swelled 
the sails. All hearts were glad. On the 1st of Oc- 
tober the fleet touched at the Canaries. Here Co- 
lumbus laid ii. a stock of calves, goats, sheep, and 
domestic fowls. It is also said that oranges, lemons, 
melons, and various other fruits were introduced to 
the soil of Hispaniola from the Canaries.^ When 
again they put to sea the captains of all the vessels 
were instructed to direct their course to the harbor 
of the Nativity, on the island of Hispaniola. Here 
the friendly chief Guacanagari resided, and here the 
garrison had been left. 

They soon struck the trade winds, and weie 
borne rapidly forward over a quiet sea, and beneath 
cloudless skies. Having made about twelve hundred 
miles west of Gomera, the fleet encountered a severe 
thunder-storm. The phenomenon was witnessed, 
not unusual under such circumstances, of flames of 
electric fluid playing upon the tops of the masts. 
Fernando Columbus comments as follows upon 
this spectacle, thus exhibiting the philosophy of 
tint superstitious age. 

" On the same Saturday, in the night, was seen 

* Kumboli. says that there were small, bitter wild oranges and 
lemons in the West India Islands, when discovered by Columbus. 
-Humboldt, Essai Politique sur flsle de Cuba, tom. i. p 68 

8 



17c CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

St. Elmo, with seven lighted tapers, at the topmast 
There was much rain and great thunder. I mean to 
say that those lights were seen, which mariner:; 
affirm to be the bodv of St. Elmo ; on beholdinfT 
which they chant litanies and orisons, holding it (ox 
certain that, in the tempest in which he appears, no 
one is in danger. Be that as it may, I leave the 
matter to them. But if we may believe Pliny, simi- 
lar lights have sometimes appeared to the Roman 
mariners, during tempests at sea ; which they said 
were Castor and Pollux, of which likewise Seneca 
makes mention.* 

On Sunday morning, November 3d, a lofty island 
was seen far away in the west. It was greeted with 
shouts of joy from all the ships. Columbus named 
it Dominica. Bv order of the admiral the crew of 
all the ships were assembled upon their decks, and 
religious services were held, giving especial thanks 
to God for their prosperous voyage, in prayers and 
in chanting anthems. In these external observances 
this was certainly a far more religious age than ths 
present.f 

* " Hist, del Almirante," cap. 45 

f " The pilots of the fleet reckoned, on that day, that between 
Jiaving Feiro and first reaching: land, we had made eight hundred 
leagues ; others said seven hundred and eighty ; thus the difference 
was n 31 great. There were tliree hundred more between Ferro and 
Cadit making in all eleven hundred leagues. I do n'»t therefore feel 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. I71 

The fleet had now entered the beautiful group 
jf islands called the Antilles. Of this cluster, the 
nnagnificent island of Porto Rico is one of the most 
western. As the fleet glided along, six islands were 
passed, whose tropical verdure elicited continued ex- 
clamations of delight. Upon one of these, called 
Marigalante, Columbus landed. The island, which 
was covered by a dense forest, appeared to be unin- 
habited. Columbus raised upon it the banner of 
Spain, and took possession in the name of his 
sovereigns. 

Another island, which appeared much larger, 
was in sight. Columbus landed, with a boat's crew. 
He found the island inhabited, and witnessed many 
strange sights. He called the island Estremadura. 
The Indians fled in terror. There was a pleasant 
village of about thirty houses, surrounding a public 
square. Each house had a portico, where the family 
could sit, sheltered from the rays of the sun. One 
of these was decorated with grotesquely carved 
vvood. Hammocks, neatly woven of strong cotton 
cord were suspended within, and several very useful 
w-esseis were found, formed of calabashes, or earthen- 
ware There were domesticated geese, and tame 

as one who had not seen enough of the water." — Select Letters of 
Columbus, Second Voyage, p. 21. Dr. Chanca, who wrote the above 
was p>iysician to the fleet. 



172 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

parrots in the yards. Here, for the first time, ihe 
Spaniards found the dehcious and fragrant pine- 
apple. 

Returning to the ship, they sailed along the coast 
of this island a few miles, when they cast anchor in 
a good harbor for the night. They saw many vil- 
lages along the coast, but the panic-stricken inhabi- 
tants fled at the sight of the ships. The next morn- 
ing a boat was sent on shore. The sailors caught a 
boy and several women, and brought them on board. 
From the arms which the sailors found, and a revolt- 
ing spectacle of human bones which was seen, and 
also from what he could learn from the women, 
through his Indian interpreters, Columbus inferred 
that this was one of the islands of the famous Carib 
cannibals.* Their arrows were sharp-pointed with 
bone, and the tips poisoned with the juice of a cer- 
tain herb. In strong predatory bands they ravaged 
other islands, killing the aged, retaining the most 
beautiful girls as servants and companions, and cook- 
ing and eating the young men. Human limbs were 
found suspended from the beams of the houses, a^ 

* Pr. Chanca writes : " These women also say that the Caribbees 
treat them with cruelty as would scarcely be believed. They eat up 
the children which they bear to them, and only bring up those which 
they have by their natural wives. They say that man's flesh is so 
good that there is nothing like it in the world." — SeUct Letters oj 
Columbus, Second Voyas^e, p. 31. 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. I73 

if undergoing some process of preparation for food. 
In one of the houses the bleeding head of a young 
man was seen, recently cut off. Other portions of a 
human body were roasting before the fire.^ 

A captain of one of the caravels, with eight men, 
had, without permission, ventured on an exploring 
tour, and was missing. Columbus was greatly 
alarmed. He had reason to fear that they had been 
cut off by these fierce savages. After waiting anx- 
iously through the day and the succeeding night, 
and hearing no tidings of them, he sent parties in 
various directions, to blow trumpets and fire guns. 
But the search was fruitless. Many of the natives 
were caught sight of; but they fled, with fleet steps^ 
as soon as approached. 

The chivalric Alonzo de Ojeda volunteered to 
take forty men and make a thorough exploration of 
the island. The little band pushed far into the in- 
terior. They waded large streams, and forced their 

* Mr. Goodrich indig;nantly rejects the idea that any cannibals 
existed in the Indies. He writes : " This is tlie first time the grave 
charge of cannibalism is preferred against the natives of the New 
World ; a charge which investigation and he laws of nature alike 
prove to be false.'' 

He assigns, as a reason why Columbus should have fabricntt-d the 
stoiy, " Columbus, still bent on the establishment of slaver), sought 
some excuse ; and the most plausible was to represent his victims ai 
monsters, feeding upon human flesh, whom to enslave was to civ'l 
ue." — Life of Columbus , p. 230. 



174 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

way tlitou<^h almost impenetrable thickets. Arque 
buses w^re fired, and the loudest blasts of trumpets 
blown. From this exploration Ojeda returned with- 
out any tidings of the lost ones. Several days had 
elapsed since their disappearance. There w-is no 
longer any hope of their discovery. With a sad 
heart Columbus was raising his anchors, when a fee- 
ble shout was heard from the dense forest on the 
shore, and the men appeared upon the beach. Their 
ragged clothing and haggard features told too plainly 
what the\- had suffered. They had been lost in the 
thickets of a tropical forest so dense as almost to 
exclude the light of day. It was with the utmost 
difficulty that they could force their way through 
the tangled network o{ canes, vines, and thorns. 
Vast trees, which overshadowed them, excluded the 
sight, even of the stars. 

To add to their sufferings, they were agitated by 
the dreadful fear that the admiral, thinking them 
dead, might proceed on the voyage, and thus aban- 
don them to the most dreadful fate. In that case 
they could never hope to see friends or home again. 
In all probability they would be killed and devoured 
by the savages. At length they found the sea-shore. 
Anxiously they followed it along, with scarcely any 
hope that the fleet would have delayed its voyage 
so many days for them. To their inexpressible joy 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. I75 

they found the harbor, and the ships still riding at 
anchor. 

They brought with them, one or two girls and 
boys. They had not seen a single man. It was 
said that all the warriors were absent, on a plunder- 
ing expedition to some distant island. Columbus 
justly deemed this departure of the captain and his 
men from their ship, without permission, a grave 
offence. It had delayed the whole fleet for several 
days, had required great toil in the search for them, 
and had caused, throughout the ships, much anxiety. 
Thus, notwithstanding all they had suffered, the 
offenders were placed under arrest.* 

On the loth of November, the fleet weighed 
anchor, and sailed prosperously along, through the 
most beautiful archipelago of islands to be found 
upon the globe. As the fleet glided by these green 
and blooming Edens, emerging from a tranquil sea, 
Columbus gave them names, as Adam, in the morn- 
ing of creation, named the animals which passed in 
procession before him. On the 14th, he cast anchor 
in the harbor of an island, which the Indians called 
Ayay, but to which he gave the name, now so widely 

* 1 he comment upon this transaction, by Mr. Goodrich, is : "1 he 
truants found their way back to the ship ; and so greatly was our 
niimane admiral incensed, at their having lost their way, that he 
ordered them to be put in irons, and their allowance of food re- 
trenched " — Life of Columbus, p. 232. 



1^6 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

known, of Santa Cruz, or the Holy Cross. A well 
manned boat was sent on shore. As usual, the 
natives fled. In a deserted village they captured 
one or two men and a boy. These were prisoners, 
whom the ferocious natives had taken from another 
island. A canoe was seen, with several Indians in it, 
coming round a point of land. The boat's crew, vig- 
orously plying their oars, overtook them.* 

The Caribs, as. they were called, seized their bows 
and arrows, and fought with almost demoniac des- 
peration. But the Spaniards, protected by buck- 
lers, generally shielded themselves, though two were 
soon wounded. Two of the natives were women. 
They fought as fiercely as the men. One of them 
threw an arrow with such force, that it pierced 
entirely through a Spanish shield. The frail canoe 
was overturned. The savages fought in the water, 
throwing their arrows as rapidly and as dextrously 
as when in the boat. 

At length they were captured. One was mor- 
tally wounded, and died as he was brought on boaid 
the ship. Several others were wounded. One of the 
women seemed to be a chief of high rank. She was 

* " When the Caribbees saw that all attempt at flight was useless, 
they most courageously took to their bows, both women and men. I 
say most courageously , because they were only four men and twc 
women, and our people were twenty-five in number." — Letter of 
Dr. Chanca 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. 1/7 

accompanied by her son. He was a young man of 
wonderful physical strength, with a ferocious coun- 
tenance and lion-like courage. All were hideously 
painted, and their hair was black, long, and coanic 
Though strongly bound, they still maintained a bold 
and defiant air. They appeared like caged tigers, 
whose palpable strength and menacing aspect caused 
all to regard them with emotions of terror. One of 
the Spaniards was mortally wounded in the fray, and 
died in a few days. 

Continuing the voyage, the fleet soon arrived 
within sight of another cluster of islands. Some 
df them were covered with luxuriant vegetation. 
Some were naked, sterile rocks, blackened by the 
winds and waves of centuries. The fertile islands 
seemed to be generally inhabited. They were so 
near together that it was dangerous for large ships 
to endeavor to pass between them. The group still 
retains the name of the Virgin Islands, which Colum- 
bus gave them. The largest of the group he called 
Santa Ursula. 

Still the fleet pressed its way westward toward 
its destined port, on the island of Hispaniola. I.i 
the evening of a cloudless day a magnificent island 
rose before them, crowned with forests and indented 
with bays. It was Porto Rico. The natives had 
called it Bonquen. Columbus, at first, gave it the 



178 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

name of San Juan Bautista. It had been supposed 
that this was the central island o( the dreaded Caribs. 
Columbus was now informed that it was a place of 
refuge from their sanguinary- raids. Here a single 
chief reigned over a large population. They weie 
wan-iors from necessity, and fought only for self-pro- 
tection. They devoured their prisoners in revenge. 

For a whole day the fleet coasted along the beau- 
tiful shores of the island, and, in the evening, an- 
chored in a ba\' near the western extremity, where 
fish filled the waters in the greatest abundance. The 
admiral landed. He found a pleasant Indian village, 
surrounding, as usual, a public square. A good road 
led from the village to the sea. On each side of the 
road there were fruitful gardens, enclosed in substan- 
tial fences of reed. At the end o\ the road, near the 
shore, there was reared upon an eminence, an obser\-- 
ator\- or look-out, which commanded quite an exten- 
si\e view of all the approaches by sea. Nothing 
equal to this village, in neatness, comfort, and civili- 
zation, had thus far been seen upon the islands."* 

* Pr. ChaiKW sjives quite .1 difterent account of the homes of lae 
raii\es generallv, tVom that which Columbus \\-as accustomed to give. 
He writes tVoin La Navidad. " fhese people are so degraded thaf 
ihey have not even the sense to select a tuting place to live in. Thos* 
who dwell on the shore build tor themselve:? the most miserable hovels 
thai cnn be imagined. All the houses are so covered with gmss :nd 
dampness, that I wonder how they can contrive to e>i>t.** — L/tUr »»/ 
Dr. CAarura, p. j»0. 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. I79 

But solitude, like that of Thebes or Palmyra, 
reig^ned throughout those habitations. Not a living 
being was seen. The natives, at sight o( the scjuad- 
n.^n. fled into the interior. The fleet remained here 
two da}'s. During all that time, not an Indian ven- 
tured to show himself 

The account which Columbus sent home, of this 
cruise among the Caribbee Islands, was read through- 
out Europe with intense interest. It seemed to 
settle the mooted question whether the human race 
had an\- where sunk so low as to feed on human flesh. 
Still it is not doubted that much o{ the information 
which Columbus received froni the natives, was 
obscure, and that their ignorance and superstitions 
were so great that full reliance could not be placed 
even in their most positive statements. Mr, Irving 
very judicious!)' remarks : 

"The evidence adduced of their cannibal propen- 
sities must be received with large allowances for the 
careless and inaccurate observations o( sea-faring 
men, and the preconceived belief of the fact which 
existed in the minds of the Spaniards. It was a 
custom, among the natives of many of the islands. 
and of other parts of the New World, to preserve 
the remains of their deceased relatives and friends; 
sometimes the entire body : sometimes only the 



i8o CHKISTOPllER COLUMBUS. 

head, or some of the Hmbs dried at the fire : some 
times the mere bones."* 

On the .'•?d of November, the eastern diffs of 
Hayti appeared in the distance. The greatest excite- 
ment prevailed on board all the ships, when it was 
announced that Hispaniola was in view. With well- 
filled sails the fleet glided along the beautiful shores, 
while all were entranced with the scenes of sublimity 
and loveliness \^hichw^ere continually opening before 
them. A seaman, who had beea wounded in the 
fray at Porto Rico, died. A wxU-armed crew w^as 
sent on shore to bury him. The funeral ceremonies 
were performed upon the beach. 

There was no disturbance. The natives had 
heard of Columbus and his friendly disposition. A 
canoe unhesitatingly approached the admiral's ship, 
with an invitation from the chief of that part of the 
island, that he would visit him. Columbus declined 
the invitation, but loaded the envoy with presents. 
The fleet, proceeding on its way, cast anchor in the 
Gulf of Samana. It will be remembered that Colum- 
bus, on the first voyage, was attacked by the natives, 
at this place ; that by a conciliatory course he had 
won their friendship, and that four of the young 
Indians had accompanied him to Spain. 

One of these, who had been baptized, and who 

* *' Life of Columbus " vol. i. p. 336, 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. l8l 

was professedly a convert to Christianity, Columbus 
put on shore. He dressed him in rich apparel, and 
loaded him with those trinkets which the Indians 
most highly regarded. He did not return. No 
tidings were ever heard of him. There was now but 
one Indian remaining in the fleet, of all whom Co- 
lumbus had taken to Spain. This young man, who 
had been baptized with the name of Diego Colon, 
seemed to be a true Christian. 

On the 25th of November the fleet anchored in 
the harbor of Monte Christo. It will be remembered 
that a large stream flowed into this bay, which Co- 
lumbus called Rio del Oro, or the Golden River, but 
which is now called the Santiago. They were great- 
ly alarmed by finding on the coast four bodies of 
dead men, with very decisive indications that they 
were Europeans. They must therefore have been 
members of the garrison which Columbus had left at 
La Navidad, only a few leagues further west.* The 
most gloomy anticipations were thus awakened re- 
specting the fate of the colony. 

Still several natives came on board the ship, with 
a frank and friendly bearing, which did not impl> 
any consciousness that hostilities had arisen between 
the natives and the Spaniards. The short twihght 

* It is said that the precise distance is seven ieajjues. — See Second 
Voyc^t of Columbus, by the Hakluyt Society, p. 45. 



l82 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

of the tropics was fading away on the evening of the 
27th, when Cokimbus cast anchor, about three n^iles 
off the port of La Navidad. He did not venture to 
enter the harbor in the dark. Impatient to receive 
tidings of his garrison, he ordered two of the largest 
cannon to be discharged. The reverberations rolled 
along the forest-covered shores and the cliffs, but no 
response came back. Sadly and silently the hours 
of the night passed away. No light was seen ; no 
shout was heard. The stillness of the primeval 
forest seemed to reign through the awful solitude. 

About midnight a small canoe was dimly seen in 
the distance, cautiously approaching one of the ves- 
sels. The canoe paused, and an Indian, who had 
perhaps acquired some slight knowledge of the 
Spanish language from the soldiers in the garrison, 
stood up hailing the vessel, and inquiring for Co- 
lumbus. The admiral's ship was pointed out to 
him. Slowly he paddled toward it. But when he 
drew near he would not venture on board until 
Columbus had made his appearance, and a torch 
was held up to his face, to show that there was no 
deception. 

He then, with a companion, entered the ship, 
stating tha he was a cousin of the illustrious chief 
Guacanagari, and that he had brought from him a 
present of t '-> coronets of gold. To the anxious 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. I83 

inquiries of Columbus respecting the fate of his 
colony, his answers seemed to be confused and ob- 
scure. Indeed it was very difficult for him, both by 
sif^ns and words, to make his meaning plain. Co- 
lumbus understood him to say that several of the 
Spaniards had died of sickness ; that a quarrel had 
arisen among themselves, and that a number had 
been killed ; and that the others had taken Indian 
wives and had dispersed throughout the island. 

He also gave the melancholy intelligence that a 
band of fierce warriors, from what he called the 
mountains of Cibao, had assailed the beautiful vil- 
lage of Guacanagari, laid all the houses in ashes, 
killed many of the inhabitants, and carried others 
away captive. Guacanagari, though he had escaped 
the massacre, was lying sick and wounded in a neigh 
boring hamlet ; else he would have come, in person, 
to pay his respects to the admiral. 

Sad as was this intelligence, Columbus was com- 
forted by the thought that the garrison had not 
perished through the perfidy of the natives. These 
incidents gave very decisive evidence that the New 
World was by no means an uncontaminated Eden ot 
innocence and bliss. It was inhabited by the fallen 
race of Adam, and here, as everywhere else, man'i, 
inhumanity to man was the most dreadful scourge 
of the human race. The Indians, having been fed 



1 84 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

and rewarded with many presents, returned to the 
shore. They assured Columbus that it was the in- 
tention of the chief, who was recovering from his 
wounds, to be brought on board the next morning. 

Columbus, ever attentive to all the ceremonial 
observances of courts, as the morning dawned, 
waited hour after hour for the promised visit from 
the prince. Silently the day passed. Not a canoe 
was in sight. A painful aspect of desolation and 
desertion was spread everywhere around. Not even 
a column of smoke could be seen, rising from the 
forest, with its indication of human life. 

As evening approached, Columbus, anxious and 
weary, sent a boat to the shore to reconnoitre. The 
crew hastened to the fortress. It presented an ap- 
palling scene of violence and ruin. By some cruel 
foe it had been sacked, burned, and utterly destroyed. 
They caught sight of one or two Indians lurking in 
the distance, but no one of them ventured to draw 
near. When the sailors endeavored to approach 
them, they ran, as if oppressed by conscious guilt. 
With this disheartening report the seamen returned 
to the admiral. 

Columbus was greatly troubled. Having entered 
the haibor, and safely anchored his fleet, he, the fol- 
lowing morning, went on shore himself. No traces 
of the garrison remained ; but only a spectacle of 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. 1 85 

devastation, indicating a terrible conflict, and an 
exterminating massacre. The timbers were thrown 
down ; the windows were dashed in ; fragments of 
garments soiled and storm-worn, fluttered in the 
bieeze. But nothing could be discovered which 
would throw any additional light upon the awful 
tragedy which had there taken place. The mourn- 
ful spectacle revived suspicions, with most of the 
company, that Guacanagari had been treacherous. 
But Columbus adhered to his conviction of the good 
faith of the chief. He was confirmed in this opinion 
by the smouldering ashes to which the native village 
had been reduced. 

Having concluded this search, Columbus, with 
the boats, ascended the river, to find out, if possible, 
what had become of the men. They had rowed 
about three miles, when they came to a small collec- 
tion of huts, from which all the inhabitants had evi- 
dently fled, as they saw the approach of the Span- 
iards. Here they found several European articles, 
which had undoubtedly been taken from the garri- 
son. This confirmed the fears of those who sus- 
pected Guacanagari. In this uncertainty they 
returned to the ruins of the fortress. 

It will be remembered that about forty men had 
been left behind. They were Spanish veterans, accus- 
tomed to war, and with their gleaming swords and 



1 86 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

death-dealing muskets, they would fight to the last 
gasp. The fortress was strongly built and, being 
defended by cannon, was apparently impregnable to 
any force the natives could bring against it. It 
fi^emed difficult to imagine how such a garrison could 
iiave been taken, by men marching to the assault 
with bows and arrows only. The perplexity was 
somewhat increased by finding, during the day, the 
graves of eleven of the Spaniards. 

In the afternoon of this day a small band of In- 
dians was seen hovering about at a distance. They 
were, however, evidently afraid to draw near the 
Spaniards. 

Columbus gradually succeeded in dispelling their 
fears, so that he opened intercourse with them, and 
they soon became quite communicative. Some of 
them had acquired a slight knowledge of the Spanish 
language, and thus, with the additional assistance of 
an Indian interpreter, Columbus probably obtained a 
pretty correct account of the destruction of the 
colony. 

Whatever may be said of the celestial character 
of the natives, there can be no question respecting 
the earthly character of the Spaniards. The com- 
mon seamen were men of the lowest order, ignorant, 
fanatical, and depraved. It required all the energies 
of Columbus, with his official dignity and his unlim- 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. 1 87 

ited powers, to hold them in restraint. Don Diego 
Arana, who was left in command, was a well-mean- 
ing man, though he was not capable of triumphing 
over the vast difficulties he soon encountered.* 

Scarcely had the admiral's ship disappeared in 
the eastern horizon, when these sailors, forgetful of 
all the counsel they had received, commenced treat 
ing the natives with wanton abuse. In small bands, 
and well-armed, they wandered freely among the 
dwellings of the Indians, robbing them of their gold, 
taking ruffianly possession of their homes, and tram- 
pling mercilessly upon all their domestic relations. 
The natives had supposed that the Spaniards de- 
scended from the skies. Their conduct showed 
rather that they came up from the abodes of fiends. 
Demons could hardly have conducted themselves 
more atrociously than did those Spaniards, when 
freed from all restraints. 

They took possesion of the best houses : selected 
any number of female companions they pleased, 
especially seizing, by violence, in defiance of all pro- 
testations, the wives and daughters of the chiefs. 
Wherever they could find gold, they grasped it. 
Brawls frequently arose over their ill-gotten gains ; 
daggers were drawn, and blood flowed. Arana lost 

• Ovicdo, in his " History of the Indies," book 2d, chapter 12 
describes the characters of these ruffianly men. 



1 88 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

all control of his men. The fortress was virtually 
abandoned. Quarrels arose as to the supreme com- 
mand. Factions sprang up. In a violent affray one 
man was killed. 

A party of nine Spaniards, under two leaders of 
the revolt, set out in search of distant mines of gold. 
They directed their steps to the mountains of Cibao, 
in the interior of the island. A renowned and intel- 
ligent chief. Caonabo, reigned there, over a ^varlike 
tribe. The atrocities practised by the Spaniards 
had reached his ears. He attacked the desperadoes 
as they entered his dominions, and put them all to 
death. He then formed an alliance with another 
tribe, whose chief was Mayreni, and in a well-con- 
concerted attack, fell upon the fortress. 

Their march was secret. The garrison was 
taken by surprise. Many were absent. At the 
dead of night, two bands, with hideous yells, rushed 
into the unguarded fortress ; set fire to the barracks, 
and with clubs dashed out the brains of the astounded 
Spaniards, springing from their beds. Some were 
driven into the sea and drowned. All perished. 
The faithful Guacanagari rallied his forces for the 
rescue. It was too late. The fortress was demol- 
ished. Every Spaniard was dead. Sti.l Guacana- 
gari fought bravely. But the force against him was 
overwhelming. His village was burned to the ground 



THE SECOND VOYAGE. 1 89 

Many of the warriors were slain. Guacanagari, 
severely wounded by the hand of Caonabo himself, 
escaped from his utterly desolate home. He was 
not pursued. The great object of the allied chiefs 
was the extermination of the Spaniards.* 

* There can be no doubt respecting the general accuracy of this 
narrative. It is authenticated by Herrera, Peter Martyr, the His- 
lor}' of the Admiral, by Fernando Columbus, and by many other 
ancient annalists 



CHAPTER VIII 

Life at Hispaniola. 

otutt;in<;Dt ol Guacanagari — The Chief suspected- -Escape of th« 
female captive — Gloom at Navidad — Exploring tours — The FiCet 
sail — The city of Isabella founded — Busy scene at the landing — 
Disappointed expectations — Expeditions of Ojeda — Traversing 
the plains — Suffering in the colony — Letter to the sovereigns — 
The Slavery question — Testimony of T. S. Heneken — Insurrec- 
tion of Bernal Dias — Tour to the mountains — Vivid description. 

The account which the natives gave of th'" tragi- 
cal fate of the colony was confirmed by statements 
received froni other quarters. One of the caravels, 
commanded by Melchoor Maldonado, was sent along 
the coast to search out a more favorable location for 
a new colony. He had advanced but a few leagues, 
when a canoe with two Indians was seen approach- 
ing his vessel. One of these was a brother of Gua- 
canagari. He entreated Maldonado to come ashore 
and visit the chief, who was at his house, confined by 
wounds. They found the chief unable to leave his 
hammock, and carefully tended by seven of his wives. 

Guacanagari expressed great regret that it had 
been out of his power to visit the admiral. Minately 
he related the events of the great disaster. His 



LIFE AT HISrANIOLA. IQI 

account was in jntire harmony with that which we 
have already given. He generously entertained the 
Spanish captain and the two or three companiorj-, 
who accompanied him. Upon their departure b- 
presented each one with a valuable coronet of 
The next morning, Columbus in person v' 
old friend. Wishing to impress the car' 
retinue with a sense of his dignity r 
admiral appeared in his most brilli; 
accompanied by a numerous train o' 
cased in glittering coats of mail.* 

Guacanagari was in his hammcck, * 
deep emotion in again meeting his old friend, anu 
shed tears as he gave an account of the fate of the 
Spaniards. The admiral did not question the sin- 
cerity of his friendship, or the truth of his narrative. 
But the Spaniards generally looked upon the chief 
with an evil eye. It was evident that he had been 
shocked by the atrocities committed by the Span- 
iards, and that he was by no means desirous thai 
they should settle within his bounds. The interview 
was friendly, and an exchange of presents took place. 
The golden gifts received from the chief surpassed, 
in the European estimate of value, more than a huri- 

* " The admiral went on shore, accompanied by all the principal 
officers, so richly dressed, that he would have made a distinguished ap- 
pearance even in any of our ::hief cities." — Letter of Dr. Chatua, p. 54, 



192 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, 

dred-fold the trinkets which he received from Colum- 
bus in return. It may, however, be said that the gifts 
leceived far exceeded, in native estimation, the value 
^ those they gave. 

^ surgeon examined the wounded leg. While 

' t it possible that there might be some bruis- 

lerves, which might cause severe pain, 

t that the chief was feigning a far 

ound than had been inflicted. But 

ded his friend.* In the evening, the 

apparently suffering, was conveyed 

cO the ships. When Columbus first 

entered the harbor, he came with two small and 

shattered caravels. There was now a proud fleet, of 

seventeen vessels, floating in the bay. The admiral's 

ship was one of the most massive of the Spanish 

navy. 

* " The surgeon of the fleet and myself being present, the admiral 
wished he would show us his wound. He said he was willing. The 
surgeon approached him and began to untie the bandage. He then 
said that the wound was made with a stone. When the wound was 
uncovered, there was no more wound on that leg than on the other 
although he cunningly pretended that it pained him much. Ignorant 
m3 we were of the facts, it was impossible to come to a definite conclu- 
sion. There were certainly many proofs of an invasion by a hostile 
j.eoplej so that the admiral was at a loss what to do. He, with many 
others, thought that, for the present, and until they could ascertain the 
truth, they ought to conceal their distrust, for, after ascertaining it, 
they would be able to claim whatever indemnity they thr^ught proper.* 
'—LetUr of Dr. Chancaa, p. 56« 



LIFE AT HISPANIOLA. I93 

Guacanagari was astonished at the spectacle of 
grandeur, wealth, and power, which met his eye. 
He seemed lost in wonder and thoughtfulness, as he 
gazed upon the fruits, plants, and animals of the old 
world. There were sheep, swine, and cows, all of 
which were new. The size, strength, and terrible 
aspect of the horses astonished him. He was still 
more astonished in seeing their docility, and the ease 
with which they were managed.* 

On board the admiral's ships there were ten 
young women. One of them, who was called Cata- 
lina, was exceedingly beautiful. She had the distin- 
guished air of a princess, and would anywhere have 
attracted attention and admiration. These girls 
were prisoners of the Caribs, who had been rescued 
by Columbus. The chief looked upon them with 
much sympathy. They were now captives of the 
Spaniards. Guacanagari had witnessed an appalling 
exhibition of the atrocities which the Spanish sailors 
could perpetrate. He spoke to Catalina in tones 
of remarkable gentleness, and in a very affectionate 
manner. It would seem that, though different dia- 

♦ " No four-footed animal has ever been seen in this or any of the 
other islands, except some dogs of various colors, as in our own coun- 
try, but in shape like large house dogs ; and also some little animals, 
in color, size, and fur like a rabbit, with long tails, and feet like those 
of a rat." — Letter of Dr. Chanca, published oy the Hakluyt Society 
p. 41 





^94 CHRISTOPHER COLCMBUS. 

lects were used on the various islands, there was 
such a general resemblance in the language, that 
the natives could easily make themselves understood. 

It is not improbable that Guacanagari still con- 
sidered the Spaniards as coming from another world. 
But he no longer regarded them as angelic visitants. 
They seemed to him like fiends, whose atrocities 
excited his loathing. The chief was evidently em- 
barrassed, and all the efibrts to restore past ease 
and cordialitv were unavailin^z. When Columbus 
suecested the idea of comin^r to li\'e with him, the 
cacique was evidently troubled, and remarked that 
the place was unhealthy, which was indeed the tact. 

Unfortunately, the chief regarded the symbols 
of the Christian religion with feelings of repulsion. 
He had at first considered them as constituting 
parts of the worship oi a class o\ beings whoni he 
deemed far superior to all ordinary humanitw Now, 
to his mind, the\- indicated the hend-like conduct of 
men whom he loathed. Notwithstanding his fond- 
ness for ornament, the admiral found it ditTicuIt tc 
pursuade Guacanagari to wear an image of the \'ir 
gi): suspended around his neck. The chief returned 
to tiie Luid, troubled in spirit, and followed by tiie 
su-picous looks of the Spaniards generally. 

The nt^xt morning the chief sent to inquje when 
Columbus intended to sail ; and was inlormcd that 



LIFE AT HISFAMOIJ^. 1 95 

he would leave the harbor the next morning. In 
the afternoon the brother o{ Guacanagari came on 
board. He was observed to converse private!}- with 
the women, particularly with the beautiful Catalina. 
At miilnight, when the crew were generally asleep, 
Catalina and her companions stealthily dropped 
themselves down, from one side of the vessel, into 
tlie water. The ship was anchored three miles from 
the shore and the sea was rough. 

The watch on deck overheard them. The alarm 
was given. A boat was instantly manned and gave 
chase. A small fire was burning on the shore, evi- 
dently serving as a beacon, to guide them. The 
women swam like ducks, and were not overtaken 
until they landed. Four, however, were caught 
upon the beach. The rest with Catalina, escaped 
It was found, in the morning, that Guacanagari and 
all his followers had departed. This increased the 
suspicions of many o{ the Spaniards, that he had 
been a traitor. But he could not have been blind 
to the angr\' looks of the sailors the day before. 
Some had clamored for his arrest, that he might be 
held as a hostage. He certainly acted wisely in not 
leaving himself any longer in their powei 

Gloom overshadowed everything at La Navidad. 
The fortress was in ruins. The graves of the Span- 
iards were constant memorials of violence and blood 



196 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

The sea breezes seemed to wail requiems over the 
mouldering ruins of the native village. Silence, 
solitude, and desolation reigned there. All were 
anxious to escape. Columbus decided to abandon 
the place, and seek a more congenial spot for the 
establishment of his colony. 

There was no time to be lost in effecting a land- 
ing. The animals were suffering from the long voy- 
age. All were weary of months of confinement on 
shipboard. Well manned boats were sent, vigor- 
ously to scour the coast, in both directions, while 
the fleet remained, in the spacious harbor, awaiting 
the reports. The boats cruised for a long distance 
and returned, not having succeeded in finding a suit- 
able location for commencing the settlement. The 
Infamous sailors, who had remained in the garrison, 
had, by their conduct, created such an appalling 
impression in reference to the Spaniards, that the 
arrival of the vast fleet, a knowledge of which was 
instantly spread far and wide, caused the panic- 
stricken natives to flee in all directions. 

The country was found utterly deserted. Scarce- 
ly an Indian was to be seen. Or if, by chance, one 
was visible in the distance, he fled upon the approach 
of the Spaniards as if pursued by tigers. Captain 
Maldonado, who had directed his course to the east, 
came upon the realms of a bold cacique, who, a( 



LIFE AT HISPAMOLA. • I97 

the head of his warriors, issued forth to attack the 
boat's crew. But the Spanish captain succeeded sc 
far in pacifying him, as to secure an interview, which, 
though not friendly, was something hke a truce. 
Here he learned that Guacanagari and his people 
had retired, for their own protection, far back among 
the mountains. He also received full corroboration 
of the battle with Caonabo, and of the destruction 
of the fortress by his troops. There was an Indian 
there, who was disabled by a wound which he had 
received in the conflict. Guacanagari seemed to be 
entirely vindicated from the charge of treachery. 

Columbus, on the 7th of December, again weighed 
anchor and sailed to the east. About thirty miles 
beyond Monte Christo he entered a spacious harbor, 
surrounded by a grand forest, with a rocky eminence 
at its entrance, which presented facilities for a for- 
tress which would command the bay. Two rivers 
flowed into these still waters, presenting facilities for 
the erection of mills. Upon one side a large, green, 
beautiful meadow extended far back to the foot of 
the hills. Upon the banks of one of these streams 
there was a pleasant Indian village. The soil was 
evidently very rich. The bay and the rivers seemed 
alive with fish, many of them of gorgeous hues 
which are unknown outside the tropics. 

It was the middle of December. The climate was 



£98 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

luxuriously soft and genial. Trees were in full foli< 
a^re and full flower. The melodv of bird songrs filled 
the air with sweetest music. " They had not yet 
become familiarized with the temperature of this 
favored island, where rigors of winter are unknown, 
where there is a perpetual succession, and even inter- 
mixture of fruit and flower, and where smiling ver- 
dure reisfns throuiii^hout the year." * 

Here Columbus decided to establish his colony. 
As an additional inducement, he had been informed 
that the mountains oi Cibao, where, it was said, rich 
gold mines existed, were not far distant. Great was 
the joy, on board the ships, in being released from 
the long imprisonment. Every vessel was anchored 
as near as possible to the shore. Ever}- boat was 
called into requisition. Every man was bus\'. Cat- 
tle, domestic fowl, provisions, guns, amniunition, fur- 
niture, were transported to the shore and placed 
under temporary shelter upon the plain, near a lake- 
let of crystal wnter. Here, about forty miles east of 
Cape Haytien, Columbus established the first city 
built by Europeans in the new world. It was called 
Isabella, in honor of his royal patroness. 

The streets were laid out scientifically, and 
the buildings so arranged as to suiround public 
squares. The three most important buildings were, 

'rv'ing's " Life of Columbus " p. 35^ 



LIFE AT HISPANIOLA. IQg 

a church, a pubHc store-house, and a residence for 
the admiral.^ These were all of stone. Skilful 
architects planned them ; well-trained mechanics 
built them. Tl>e private houses were built of tim- 
ber or reeds, with plastered walls. Theie was a brief 
scene of sunshine, hope, gladness, as all engaged, 
with alacrity, in rearing new homes, amidst the bloom 
and fruitage of this garden of nature. 

But the storm came ; the storm which seems ever 
destined to desolate the homes of the fallen children 
of Adam. An epidemic sickness broke out. The 
rank soil exhaled malarious vapors. The enervating 
climate rendered even ordinary toil exhausting. 
Many thoughtless men had embarked in the enter- 
prise, with the most silly impression that they were 
bound to a real Eden, where nature would rear for 
them the most lovelv bowers, and feed them with 
the most delicious fruits ; where gold could be picked 
up like pebbles, and where this mortal life, redeemed 
from the penalty of the fall, would prove but one 
continuous gala day. 

The novelty of the tropics soon vanished. Lan- 
guor invaded the body. Homesickness oppressed 
the mind. Disappointment soured the disposition. 

* Mr Goodrich thus comments upon these transactions. " IIo 
proceeded to build a church, a magazine, and a house for himself ; a 
triad which illustrates the ruling traits of his character, hypocrisy 
avarice, and selfishness."- -Life of Columbus, p. 236. 



200 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Murmurs rose, followed by quarrels. Change of 
place had not changed the heart. Serene skies had 
not diffused their peace into the troubled soul of man 
Even Columbus did not escape the general doom. 
The colony, from which he had anticipated so mucli, 
was in ruins. The tons of gold, which he had in 
tended to send to Spain in the return ships, to aston- 
ish and delight Ferdinand and Isabella, had no longer 
any existence, even in his imagination. The natives 
had become unfriendly, and avoided all intercourse 
with the Spaniards. The care of the squadron : the 
peril of unknown seas : the heterogeneous character 
of the mass of men, whom he with difficultv control- 
led, weighed heavily upon him. Notwithstanding all 
his efforts to bear his burdens gracefully, and to main- 
tain a cheerful air, he could not conceal the gloom 
which oppressed him. For several N»eeks he was 
confined to his bed. But mental energies at length 
triumphed over bodily weakness- He girded himself 
with new strength to go forth to life's great battles.* 
The ships which had discharged their cargoes, 
were immediately sen: back. All in Spain were 
looking eagerly for their return, freighted with gold, 
and other of the treasures, which Columbus had 
portrayed in such glowing colors, as abounding in 

• See " Letter of Dr. Chanca ; " also Heirara. " HisL Ind." dcaui 
i. lib. ii. cap. ic ; ' Hist del Alrair?Rte," cap. 50. 



LIFE AT HISPANIOLA. 20\ 

the New World. It was inexpressibU' mortityin^ to 
him to be compelled to send them back empty. 
He could not e\'en give an)' account of the interior 
of the island, of mines discovered, oi' new realms 
penetrated by their explorations. The sovereigns 
were expecting" wonderful returns. It would be a 
bitter disappointment to them, and would greatly 
diminish their confidence in Columbus, to receive 
onl\- tidings of disaster. 

Under these circumstances Columbus felt im- 
pelled to make the most strenuous exertions, that 
the ships, on their return should, in some way, 
justify the magnificent representations which his 
sanguine spirit had honestly led him to make. He 
had learned that the so-called mines of Cibao were 
situated at the distance oi' but about three or four 
days' journey in the interior. He sent out an ex- 
ploring expedition. It would be some comfort to 
be able to transmit the news that the golden moun- 
tains had been reached : and that the mines, so full 
of promise, would immediately be worked; 

The chivalric Alonzo de Ojeda was selected to 
lead this enterprise. He loved adventure and peril, 
and exulted in the thought that he was to penetrate 
the lealms of the all-powerful chief Caonabo Early 
In Januar)', 1494, Ojeda, with a well-armed band of 
picked men, set out for the interior. For two days 
0* 



202 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

they traversed a deserted country. All the inhabi- 
tants had fled before them. They reached the 
mountains, and by a narrow zigzag defile ascended 
to the summit of the ridge. The morning sun ex- 
'libited to them as magnificent a panorama of tropi- 
cal splendor as earth's surface can exhibit. Beneath 
their feet there extended apparently a hmitless 
expanse of verdant fields, luxuriant groves, and wind- 
ing streams, with the scattered cottages and villages 
of the natives decorating the whole plain. 

Descending from these heights they fearlessly 
entered the villages beyond. It would seem that 
the fear of the Spaniards had not reached that 
remote district. The inhabitants received them 
kindly, and regaled them with profuse hospitality. 
But they found that it was still quite a long journey 
to the mountains of Cibao. The face of the country 
was rugged with occasional ravines and unbridged 
rivers, and forests, whose dense underbrush could 
only be penetrated by cutting their way with 
hatchets. 

For six days they toiled along, not suffering from 
thirst, or cold, or hunger, but blistered by the rayj 
of a torrid sun. The natives were naked and corre- 
spondingly uncivilized in all their bearing. Still 
they generally appeared to be lamb-like, not wolfish 
in nature. But the explorers saw, or thought the> 



LIFE AT HISPANIOLA. 203 

saw, signs of great mineral wealth. Particles o(^ 
glittering gold were, according to their representa- 
tions, scattered through the sands of the mountain 
streams. Peter Martyr testifies that Ojeda brought 
back a nugget of pure gold, which weighed nine 
Dunces, and which he himself had picked up in one 
of the brooks. He also saw stones streaked with 
veins of gold. It was deemed that these were mere 
surface washings; and that, beneath the soil, vast 
deposits of solid gold would be found.* 

Ojeda was of as ardent imagination as Columbus. 
He returned with a glowing report. We easily 
credit that which we wish to believe. Columbus 
eagerly accepted all, and, in his sanguine disposition, 
added new colors to the picture. Indeed the spirits 
of all the colonists were reanimated by these flat- 
tering accounts. Inexhaustible sources of wealth 
were opening before them. Columbus retained five 
ships for his own service, and returned the rest, 
laden with these golden promises. A few specimens 
of the gold which had been found by Ojeda were 
sent back, and a few curiosities in the way of plants 
and fruits.f 

* Peter Martyr, decad. i. lib. ii. 

f " An enemy of Columbus, one Fermin Cede, who is represented 
&sa conceited and ignorant man, but who had come to the island as an 
assayer of metals, asserted, with persistence, that gold could not be 
founil upon the islands, in quantities to repay the search. He declared 



204 CHRISTOPHER CC LUMHUS. 

"With the return fleet, Columbus wrote to th« 
king and queen. He as'^ured them of his confident 
anticipations that he should soon be able to make 
more abundant shipments of gold, and of the most 
valuable drugs and spices. The powers of language 
were exhausted in his description of the beauty and 
fertility of the island of Hispaniola. The skies were 
brilliant, the climate genial, the mountains glorious, 
the scenery surpassingly lovely, the soil fertile, the 
fruit delicious, and the bloom perpetual. The sugar, 
cane, which he brought from Europe, grew with 
amazing luxuriance. 

A colony of over a thousand hungry people, ac- 
customed to the European style of living, consumes 
a vast amount of food. These men could not live 
upon fruit alone. Their provisions were rapidly 
vanishing. It required considerable time to break 
the soil and raise crops, in field and garden. The 
animals were all to be carefully preserved that the 
stock might be increased. Many of the colonists 
were sick. The medicines were exhausted. The 
gentlemen could not work. More laborers were 
needed to dig in the mines and smelt the ore. 
Many of the horses had perished, and more were 

that the nuggeits obtained from the natives had been melted, and nad 
been the slow accumulation of many years." — Cura de los Pa'-acios 
cap. 1 20. 



LIFE AT HISPANIOLA 205 

greatly needed for public works and military ser- 
vices. Thus it became necessary that large supplies 
should be promptly sent to him. 

The letter, which Columbus wrote to the Spanish 
sovereigns on this occasion, indicates earnestness and 
honesty of mind. There was no intentional misrep- 
resentations of anything. He truthfully related all 
the facts, as they appeared to him. He faithfully 
depicted their difficulties and their prospects. He 
sent to Spain, in the ships, several natives, men, 
women, and children, whom he had captured in the 
Caribbee Islands. They were cannibals, taken from 
the most cruel scenes of depravity and degradation. 
The letter was addressed to Antonio de Torres, stat- 
ing the information which he was to communicate to 
Ferdinand and Isabella. The admiral wrote : 

*' You will tell their highnesses that, as we are not 
acquainted with the language of these people, so as 
to make them acquainted with our holy faith, as their 
highnesses and we ourselves desire, and as we will do 
so soon as we are able, we send, by these two vessels, 
some of these cannibal men and women, as well as 
some children, both male and female. Their high- 
nesses can order them to be placed under the care 
of the most competent persons to teach them the 
language giving instructions at the same time, that 
they may be employed in useful occupations ; and 



2o6 CHRISTOPHER CC^LUMB'JS. 

that, by degrees, more care be bestowed upon them 
than would be given to other slaves, in order that 
afterward, one may learn from the other. 

" By not seeing or speaking to each other for a 
long time, they will learn much sooner in Spain than 
here, and they will become much better interpreters. 
We will, however, do what we can. It is true that, as 
there is but little communication between one of 
these islands and another, there is some difference 
in their mode of expressing themselves ; which 
mainly depends on the distance between them. But 
as among all these islands, those inhabited by the 
cannibals are the largest and most populous, I have 
thought it expedient to send to Spain, men and 
women from the islands which they inhabit, in the 
hope that they may one day be led to abandon theif 
barbarous custom of eating their fellow-creatures. 

•* By learning the Spanish language in Spain, 
they will much earlier receive baptism, and insure 
the salvation of their souls. Moreover, it will be a 
great happiness to the Indians who do not practise 
the above cruel custom, when they see that we have 
seized and led captive those who injure them, and 
those they dread so much that their name alone fills 
them with norror.* 

* ** Such arguments must be allowed to have much force in them. 
And it may be questioned whether many of those persons who, is 



LIFE AT IIISPANIOLA. 20J 

*■* You will assure their highnesses that our anival 
in this country, and the sight of so fine a fleet, have 
pioduced the most desirable effect and insured ou 
future safety. For all the inhabitants of this great 
island and of those around it, when they see the 
good treatment that we shall show to those that do 
well, and the punishment we shall inflict on those 
who do wrong, will hasten to submit ; and their 
highnesses will shortly be able to reckon them among 
the number of their subjects." 

To this portion of the letter, the sovereigns 
replied, " Let Columbus be informed of what has 
transpired to the cannibals that came over to Spain. 
He has done well; and his suggestions are good. 
But let him endeavor by all possible means to con- 
vert them to our holy Catholic religion. And do 
the same to the inhabitants of all the islands to 
which he may go." 

But Columbus continues to write, upon the same 
subject : " You will tell their highnesses that, for the 
good of the souls of the said cannibals, and even of 
the inhabitants of this island, the thought h^s sug- 
gested itself to us, that the greater the number that 

these (lays, are the strongest opponents of slavery, would then have 
had that perception of the impending danger of its introduction 
which the sovereigns appear to have entertained, from their answer 
to this part of the document." — Life of Columbus, by Arthu- Help% 
p. 136 



208 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

are sent over to Spain the better; and that good 
service may result to their highnesses in the follow- 
ing manner. Considering what great need we have 
of cattle, and of beasts of burden, both for food and 
to assist the settlers in their work, their highnesses 
will be able to authorize a suitable number of cara- 
vels to come here every year, to bring over the said 
cattle, in order that the fields may be covered with 
people and cultivation. 

*^ These cattle might be sold at moderate prices, 
for account of the bearers, and the latter might be 
paid with slaves, taken from among the Caribbees. 
who are a wild people, fit for any work, well pro- 
portioned, and very intelligent, and who, when they 
have got rid of the cruel habits to which they have 
become accustomed, will be better than any other 
kind of slaves. When thev lose si^ht of their 
country, they will forget their cruel customs. And 
it will be easy to obtain plenty of these savages, by 
means of row boats that we propose to build. Their 
highnesses might fix duties on the slaves that may 
be taken over, on their arrival in Spain. You will 
ask for a reply on this point, and bring it to me, that 
I maybe able to take the necessary measures, should 
the proposition merit the approbation of their high- 
nesses." 

This siggestion, that the court of Spain should 



LIFE AT IIISPANIOLA. 20L, 

thus eneigetically embark in the slave trade, evi 
dently startled Ferdinand and Isabella. They were 
led to pause and think. Somewhat vaguely they 
replied. *' The consideration of this subject has 
been suspended for a time, until other measures 
may be suggested, with reference to the islands. 
The admiral will do well to write what further he 
tliinks upon the subject." ^ 

These sentiments of Columbus, so abhorrent to 
the enlightened Christian views of the nineteenth 
century, were quite in accordance with the opinions 
generally cherished throughout Christendom four 
hundred years ago. Such mistaken views of human- 
rights were almost universally prevalent in that day. 
The conversion of the souls of the heathen was 
deemed so important that it was to be effected by 
whatever means the Church could devise, whether 
fair or foul. Candid judgment will make allowance 
for the darkness of the age in which Columbus lived. 
The admiral undoubtedly thought that he was ad- 
vocating a measure of mercy, which would prove a 
great blessing to the poor Caribs, and to humanity 
in general ; and that it would be well pleasing in the 

* The whole of this exceedingly interesting letter, together with 
the replies which the Spanish sovereigns returned to each portion. 
may be found in the " Select Letters of Christopher Columbus," 
issued by the Hakluyt Society, London. 



210 CHRISTOPHER COLUMbJb. 

sight of God. Men of upright intentions may often 
deceive themselves by the strangest sophistry. 

It is pleasant to record that Ferdinan 1 and Isa- 
bella, upon mature reflection, rejected the flattering 
proposal. There was in it much to commend itself 
to their approval. The colony could thus," not only 
free of expense but with profit, be amply supplied 
with live stock from Spain. The peaceful islanders 
would be rescued from the ravages of these fierce 
cannibals, who were keeping them ever in a state of 
terror. The royal treasury would be greatly en- 
riched, enabling the ambitious sovereigns to do much 
for the promotion of the interests of their realms. 
And best of all, a large number of savages might be 
brought under the influence of the institutions of 
Christianity, and thus their souls might be saved.* 

The return fleet put to sea on the 2d of February 
1494. Three and a half centuries after the founda- 
tions of the city of Isabella were laid, T. S. Heneken, 
Esq., visited the place. The following is his interest- 
ing account of the aspect the city then presented : 

" Isabella, at the present day, is a city quite 
overgrown with forests ; in the midst of which are 

* " Jt is but just to add that the sovereigns did not accord with 
his ideai. but ordered that the Caribs should be converted like the 
rest of the islanders ; a command which emanated from the merciful 
heart of Isabella, who ever showed herself as the benign protectress 0/ 
the Indians." — Irvingj's Life of Columbus, vol i. p 3^^^ 



LIFE AT HISPANIOLA. 211 

still to be seen, partly standing, the pillars of the 
church, some remains of the king's store-houses, and 
a part of the residence of Columbus, all built of 
hewn stone. The small fortress is also a prominent 
ruin. A little north of it is a circular pillar, about 
ten feet high, and as much in diameter, of solid 
masonry, nearly entire ; which appears to have had 
a wooden gallery or battlement round the top, for 
the convenience of room ; and in the centre of which 
was planted the flag-staff. Having discovered the 
remains of an iron clamp, imbedded in the stone, 
which served to secure the flag-staff itself, I tore it 
out, and now consign to you this curious relic of the 
first foot-hold of civilization in the New World, 
after it has been exposed to the elements nearly 
three hundred and fifty years." * 

The energies of Columbus pressed forward the 
work, and the city of Isabella rapidly rose, in quite 
imposing proportions. We v\{er that the buildings 
could not have been very elaborate. Columbus 
entered the harbor on the 7th of December. In 
two months, on the 6th of February, the church was 
coTipleted, and dedicated. Twelve ecclesiastics, 
ander their spiritual head, Friar Boyle, assisted in 
the imposing ceremonies. 

The departure of the fleet was a glocmy hour foi 

* From the Letter of T. S ileneken. 



^^^ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

those who remained. A general feeling of discon* 
tent pervaded the Httle colony. All were disap- 
pointed. Some blamed themselves for their folly in 
leaving homes in Spain, for a wilderness inhabited 
only by savages. Other denounced the admiral, 
whose false representations, they said, had lured 
them to destruction. Murmurs were heard on all 
sides. These increased to upbraidings and bitter 
quarrels. Many sad eyes watched the departure of 
the ships. And denser clouds of gloom seemed to 
settle over the colony when the last sail vanished 
beneath the horizon.^ 

Among the adventurers there was a proud, arro- 
gant man, from the court of Spain, whose assump- 
tions had several tim.es brought him into collision 
with th*e admiral. His name was Bernal Diaz de 
Pisa. He organized an insurrection, with quite a 
number of the disaffected. Their plan was to seize 
one or all of the remaining ships, and return to Spain, 
where they would unite in weighty charges against 

* " Mr. Goodrich gives vent to his own feelings, and probably tc 
those of some of the colonists, when he writes, " As the unhappy Span 
iards awakened from their dreams of splendor, to the reality of a 
country in which was found neither food nor shelter, dissatisfaction 
daily increased. Hatred for the pirate admiral, who had so craftily 
allured them to destruction, became more and more apparent. Nof 
were the harsh measures a-id tyrannical conduct of Columbus calco* 
tated to conciliate. Bitter complaints were made against hiia.'*— 
Life of Columbus^ p. 239. 



LIFE AT HISPANIOLA. 21 ^ 

Columbus. They hoped to enlist so many in the 
conspiracy as to seize all the five ships. 

The mutiny was discovered, and the ringleader* 
arrested. In the investigation which took place, a 
very atrocious libel was found, in the handwriting 
of Bernal Diaz, full of slanders and misrepresenta- 
tions. Diaz was a man of high rank. Columbus 
very prudently declined bringing him to trial, before 
one of his own courts, where his own influence 
might be deemed paramount, but sent him to Spain, 
with his seditious memorial. Some of the inferior 
mutineers were punished, but more mildly than 
their offence merited. To guard against any renewal 
of the attempt, the guns and ammunition were re- 
moved from all the ships but one ; and that was in- 
trusted to persons whose fidelity could not be ques- 
tioned.* 

Columbus was not a Spaniard, but a citizen of 

Genoa. National prejudices rose against him as a 

foreigner. The haughty Spaniards combined for his 

overthrow. He had no natural friends to rally to his 

support. Though the general safety rendered it neces- 

sary that the disturbers of the public peace should 

not go unpunished, and though he was humane and 

lenient in the extreme in his dealings with transgres« 

* " Historia del Almirante," cap. 50 ; Herrera, * Hist Ind.,* 
decad. i. lib. ii. cap. iL 



214 CHRISTOniER COLUMBUS. 

SOTS, Still his opponents assailed him as arbitrary and 
vindictive. It is not possible for any one, invested 
with power, to escape denunciation. George Wash- 
ington, throughout the whole of his career, was as- 
sailed as if he were a fiend. The hostility engen- 
dered against Columbus increased in rancor, until he 
found repose in the grave. And the envenomed 
assaults still pursue him, after the lapse of three 
and a half centuries. 

Columbus decided to take a working party, and 
go to the mines in person, that he might superintend 
operations there He intrusted the government at Isa 
bella, during his absenc*. to his brother, Don Diego. 
Las Cai^as, who was familiarly acquainted with him 
represents him a^ a very amiable, upright man, a lovei 
of peace, gentlemanl)' in his bearing, frugal in his 
habits, simple in his attire.* 

As Columbus was to enter the territory of a re- 
nowned warrior, who had already manifested his 
deadly hostility to the Spaniards, it was necessary 
that he should take a force, not only sufficient to 
repel assaults, but also one of such a character as to 
convince the natives of the resistless power of the 
new-comers. It would be easy for those left behind 
in their fortress, to defend themselves against any 
attack. He therefore took nearly all the able-bodied 

* Las Casas. •* Hist, tnd.," lib. i. cap. 32. 



LIFE AT HISPANIOLA. 215 

men, and all the horses which could be spared. 
Experience had taught him how deeply the savages 
were impressed by external appearances. He there- 
fore arrayed his force in with all the military splen 
d<>r he could command.* 

The expedition, consisting of four hundred men^ 
set out, on the 12th of March, 1494. The company, 
encased in dazzling armor, with highly polished 
weapons and gilded banners, and with the notes of 
the trumpets reverberating through the forests, must 
have impressed the natives with ideas of supernatu- 
ral and resistless power. All the prominent men 
were in rich uniform, and mounted on gayly capari- 
soned horses. It was a serene and lovely day, as 
the band crossed the flower-enamelled plain toward 
the distant hills. In the early evening they reached 
the entrance of a rocky defile among the mountains. 
On the turf, breathing the balmy air, they slept 
sweetly. A narrow Indian trail led through the 
rugged defiles. 

Several high-spirited cavaliers rode forward as 
pioneers to remove obstructions. The road thus 

* " Columbus had already discovered the error of one of his opin- 
ions concerning these islanders, formed during his first voyage. They 
were not so entirely pacific, nor so ignorant of warlike arts as he had 
imagined. He had been deceived by the enthusiasm of his own feel- 
ings, and the gentleness of Guacanagari and his subjects." — Irving*9 
Life of Columbus vol. i. p. 38q. 



2l6 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

opened was called the Gentleman's Pass, in honot 
of the cavaliers who constructed it. When they 
reached the height of land, the same prospect of 
fairy-like loveliness was opened before them, upon 
which Ojeda and his companions had gazed with 
delight. The pen of Irving has portrayed the scene 
with almost the vividness of the landscape painter's 
pencil.* 

" Below lay a vast and delicious plain, painted 
and enamelled, as it were, with all the rich variety of 
tropical vegetation. The magnificent forests pre- 
sented that mingled beauty and majesty of vegetable 
forms, known only to those generous climates. 
Palms of prodigious height, and spreading mahogany 
trees, towered from amid a wilderness of variegated 
foliage. Freshness and verdure were maintained by 
numerous streams, which meandered gleaming 
through the deep bosom of the woodland ; while 
various villages and hamlets, peeping from among 
the trees, and the smoke of others rising out of the 
midst of forests, gave signs of a numerous population. 
The luxuriant landscape extended as far as the eye 
could reach, until it appeared to melt away and 
mingle with the horizon. The Spaniards gazed with 

* The Spanish name was El Puerto de los Hidalgos, or The Pass 
of the Hidalgos. Hidalgo is said to be derived from Hijo de Algo, the 
" Son of Somebody." This was to distinguish him from one of obscure 
birth, who was said to be a Son of Nobody 



LIFE AT HISPANIOLA.. 2ly 

rapture upon this soft, voluptuous country, which 
seenned to realize their ideas of a terrestrial paradise; 
and Columbus, struck with its vast extent, gave it 
the name of the Vega Real, or Royal Plain." * 

This now solitary route is still occasionally tra- 
versed by the tourists of modern days. It remains a 
lonely, rugged footpath, winding among rocks and 
precipices ; the only practicable defile across the 
Monte Christo range of mountains. It is called the 
Pass of Marney. The beautiful island has been 
crushed beneath the scourge of the kind of civiliza- 
tion which the Spaniards introduced. SoHtude, 
desolation, and gaunt poverty reign where the smil- 
ing villages of the Haytiens formerly enlivened the 
scene, leading Columbus to think that he was gazing 
upon an earthly Eden.f 

With great pomp of military display, and the 
clangor of trumpets, the glittering host emerged 
upon the plain. The natives could not refrain from 
regarding the wonderful pageant as a supernatural 
vision. :j: Las Casas says that, at first, they consid- 

* " Life of Col ambus," vol. i. p. 399. Ii"ving gives, as his author- 
ity for this description, Las Casas, " Hist. Ind. lib. i. cap. 90. MS. 

f ' Letter frorr, T. S. Heneken Esq.," dated Santiago (St. Dom- 
ingo), 20th of September, 1847. 

X Perhaps historic justice demands that we should give Mr. Good> 
rich's comiRents upon the march. He writes: "The progress 
through the country, on this expedition, was characteristic. His band 
was sickly, wearied, and disheartened. Yet he must needs enter every 



2l8 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

ered the horse and his rider as one animal. Gener 
ally, the Indians fled in terror. The kindness of 
Columbus eventually overcame their fears. Native 
interpreters were sent forward to assure t aem that 
no harm was intended. Presents were also distrib- 
uted, which the natives received with amazement 
and delight. Food was considered by them as free 
to all. One could enter any house and eat at his 
pleasure. But we are told, in apparent contradic- 
tion to some previous statements, that other private 
property was held sacred. Theft was punished with 
great severity. 

A march of fifteen miles brought them to a large 
stream, which Columbus named the River of Reeds. 
It proved to be the upper waters of that stream, 
which, near its mouth, he had called the River of 
Gold. Upon these green banks, and bathing in 
these still waters, the adventurers passed a night of 
luxurious encampment. The next morning they 
crossed on rafts, swimming the horses. For two 
days the march was continued through this magnifi- 
cent plain. They passed many villages, from all of 
which the natives at first fled. On the evening 
of the second day they reached the northern decliv- 

Indian hamlet, with trumpets sounding and banners flying; so irre- 
pressible were his vanity and delight in exhibiting his newly acquired 
rank ' — Life of Columbm:, p. 240. 



LIFE AT niSPANIOLA. 219 

ities of what were called the Golden Mountains of 
Cibao. 

The next morning they commenced the ascent, 
through gloomy ravines and craggy rocks, where the 
horses were with difficulty led. They reached the 
summit. An entrancing view again met their eyes. 
The plain lay spread out before them like a " ver- 
dant lake." According to the estimate of Las Casas, 
it was two hundred and forty miles in length, and 
about seventy miles in breadth. They had now 
reached the centre of the famous gold region. The 
summits of the mountains presented but a dreary 
scene of barrenness and desolation. Scarcely a flower 
bloomed. All vegetation was scanty. Gloomy pines 
were on the hill-sides. But the Spaniards were con- 
soled for the cheerlessness of the scene, in finding, 
among the sands, glittering particles of gold, which 
seemed to give assurance that there were inexhaust- 
ible mines of wealth locked up within the mountains. 

The exploring party was then about fifty or sixty 
miles from Isabella. Columbus selected a pleasant 
site for his encampment. He erected a wooden fort, 
which he, perhaps playfully, called St. Thomas, in 
gentle reproof of those unbelieving ones, who would 
not l>elieve that any gold was to be found, until they 
had seen it with their eyes and touched it with theii 
hands. 



CHAPTER IX. 

The Coast of Cuba Explored 

Tlie fortress of St. Thomas — Extravagant expectaticis Df ths Spu 
iards — The exploring expedition — The arrest cf thie-res — Com 
mencement of the maritime cruise — The harbor of Guantanamo— 
Interesting scene with the Indians — Jamaica — Its grandeur ana 
beauty — Naval scene — Events at Santa Gloria — Native canoes- 
Events of the voyage — Testimony of Humboldt — The decision— 
The Island of Pines — Speech of the chief — The return to His- 
paniola — Incidents of the voyage. 

While building the fortress of St. Thomas, Co- 
lumbus sent out a small band to explore the sur- 
rounding country. The men were thoroughly armed, 
and were led by a chivalric young cavalier, by the 
name of Juan de Luxan. They traversed the prov- 
ince of Caonabo, and judged it to be about equal in 
extent to the kingdom of Portugal. Particles of 
gold dust were found in the sands c f all the streams. 
Language could hardly exaggerate the fertility and 
beauty of the country. 

A garrison of fifty-six men was left at the fortress. 
Mining operations were commenced, and Columbus 
returned to Isabella. On the 29th of March, he 
reached the colony, bearing a very flatterng report 



THE COAST OF CUBA EXPLORED. 221 

of the prospect of obtaining gold. Soon a report 
reached him that the Indians, at St. Thomas, were 
becoming unfriendly. The fact was that, as soon as 
the restraint of the presence of Columbus was with- 
drawr from the Spaniards, the unprincipled men 
began to rob the natives, and to subject their 
wives and daughters to intolerable insults. Caonabo 
knew them well. With great impatience he saw 
them establishing themselves in the midst of his 
mountains. 

Columbus did not think that there was much to 
be feared from their hostility. He contented him- 
self with sending to the fort a small reinforcement, 
with provisions and supplies. But he had cause to 
be greatly troubled; in view of the discontent and 
murmurings ever increasing at Isabella, and the 
manifestation of hostile feelings toward himself. 
Very many were sick. They had no proper food, 
and their medicines were exhausted. We read, with 
some surprise, that the colonists could not accustom 
themselves to the food of the natives. Threatenings 
of famine rendered it necessary to put the people 
upon short allowance. This caused increasing mur- 
murs. No one was more turbulent in these com- 
plainings than the Spanish chief of ecclesiastics, 
Father Boyle. 

The ecclesiastics and the grandees were irritated 



222 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

because Columbus made no distinction of rank in 
civil duties. The very existence of the colony re^ 
quired that mills should be erected, and that othei 
labors for the public welfare should be performed. All 
were alike required to aid. The haughty hidalgos 
rose in indignant remonstrance. Columbus was de- 
nounced as a foreign upstart, and he found himself 
without a friend. 

Columbus was a strict disciplinarian. He was 
not theoretically versed in the science of political 
economy, or popular rights; but was guided by the 
honest instincts of his own strong mind. It is not 
improbable that, coming from industrious Genoa, 
where labor was honorable, he did not sufficiently 
appreciate the amazing pride and haughtiness of the 
Spanish nobles. They regarded all labor as the 
ignominious doom of the " sons of nobody." Many 
young cavaliers, who had been reaping renown upon 
the military fields of Grenada, had entered upon the 
expedition to the New World, with the most roman- 
tic ideas of the wealth which was to roll in upon 
them. They were to dwell in castles, bestride their 
war-horses, and eclipse the splendor even of Spanish 
imperialism, in the grandeur of their feudal estab- 
lishments and the obsequiousness of their crowds 
of attendants. Mr. Irving writes : 

** Many of these young men had come out hop- 



THE COAST OF CUBA EXPLORED. 22 3 

ing, no doubt, to distinguish themselves by heroic 
achievements and chivalrous adventure, and to con- 
tinue, in the Indies, the career of arms which they 
had commenced in the recent wars of Grenada. 
Others had been brought up in soft, luxurious indul- 
gence, in the midst of opulent families, and were 
little calculated for the rude peril of the seas, the 
fatigues o[ the land, and the hardships, the expo- 
sures, the deprivations which attend a new settle- 
ment in the wilderness. When they fell ill, their case 
soon became incurable. The ailments of the body 
were increased by sickness of the heart. They suf- 
fered under the irritation of wounded pride, and the 
morbid melancholy of disappointed hope. Their 
sick bed was destitute of all the tender care and 
soothing attention to which they had been accus- 
tomed. And they sank into the grave in all the 
suUenness of despair, cursing the day of their depar- 
ture from their country."* 

Ferdinand and Isabella were pressing Columbus 
to continue his voyages of discovery. Apparently 
there was a wide and unknown world opening before 
him, and no one could imagine what wonders might 
be levealed The growing troubles at Isabella led 
Columbus to judge it wise to disperse the colonists* 
on these tours. He therefore fitted out a strong 

* Irving^s " Life of Columbus," vol. i. p. 40f> 



2;?4 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

expedition to explore the interior of the island. The 
force included every healthy man who could be 
spared from tending the sick, and from performing 
pressing public duties. There were, in the bandj 
two hundred and fifty cross-bow men, one hundred 
and ten arquebusiers, sixteen horsemen, and twenty 
officers. Peter Margarite, a friend of Columbus, and 
one of the most illustrious knights of the Order of 
Santiago, was placed in command. Ojeda was left 
as superintendent of the mines. 

Columbus gave Margarite very minute written 
instructions. They develop his sound judgment, his 
humanity, and his noble ambition not to live in vain. 
The sincerity of the admiral cannot be questioned. 
In this document he says : *' Treat the Indians with 
the utmost kindness. Protect them from all wrong 
and insult. Pay liberally for everything you receive 
from them, for the support of the troops. Do all in 
your power to win their confidence and friendship. 
Should the absolute necessities of the army compel 
you to take from them anything which they are 
unwilling to sell, do it as gently as possible : endeav- 
oring to soothe them by kindness and caresses. And 
ever bear in mind that their majesties are more 
desirous of the conversion of the natives than of 3ny 
riches to be derived from them." * 

♦ " Letter of Columbus," Navarette Colec, torn ii doc. No. 7a. 



THE COAST OF CUBA EXPLORED 22$ 

All these judicious instructions Margarite disre- 
garded. Prosperity and happiness would have 
attended their faithful observance.^ The vileness of 
this band of Spaniards brought on war and misery. 
The Indians were exterminated. Spain was dis- 
graced. Humanity was dishonored. And Columbus 
himself was pursued with the most intense vitupera- 
tion which language could coin. 

The cacique, Caonabo, was an intelligent, artful^ 
and determined foe. His expedition for the de- 
struction of the Spanish garrison at La Navidad, had 
been executed with great skill and entire success. 
The evidence was decisive that he was now organiz- 
ing a force to destroy the Spaniards who had inva- 
ded his territory, and who were fortifying themselves 
at Fort St. Thomas. Deplorable is the lot of man. 
No one can blame the chief for his desire to drive 
from his country the Spaniards, who had already 
developed a demoniac character, in their treatment 
of the natives. On the other hand, no one can 
blame Columbus for sending an expedition into the 
interior of the island, in search for gold. Columbus 
could conscientiously pray to God to protect his 
colony. With equal sincerity could Caonabo implore 
the deities he worshipped to aid him in driving out 
the intruders.* 

* " Columbus was w ong in the impression he first received, that 
10* 



^20 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Ojeda accompanied the expedition of nearly fou! 
hundred men, to St. Thomas, where he was to relieve 
Margarite, and surrender the explorers to him. Five 
Indians had robbed, it was said, three Spaniards. 
Their chief was accused of sharing their spoil, instead 
of punishing them. Ojeda caught an Indian, whc 
was declared to be one of the thieves. He cut off his 
€ars, in the public square of the Indian village. 
Arresting the chief, his son and his nephew, he sent 
them all in chains to Isabella. 

A neighboring chief, who had proved friendly to 
the Spaniards, accompanied the terrified captives, to 
plead for their forgiveness. Columbus paid no heed 
to these friendly intercessions. He sent the three 
prisoners to the public square, with their hands tied 
behind them ; directed the crier to proclaim their 
crime, and then ordered their heads to be struck off. 
Oviedo says, in palliation of the order, that it was 
important to strike awe into the minds of the natives, 
in respect to the property of the white men ; and 
that the crime of theft was punished, by the Indians 
with impalement.* 

It, however, is not probable that Columbus had 

tLe natives had no religious belief. They had a vague and simple 
cteed. There was, in their view, one Supreme Being, who dwelt in 
the sky He employe 1 inferior deities. To these subordinate gods 
*»nly, was prayer addressed." — Historia del AlmiranU. 
* Ov''jdo " Hjsl. iiid.' lib, V. cap. 3. 



THE COAST OF CUBA EXPLORED. 22> 

any intention of executing the cruel penalty. At 
the assigned place of execution the friendly chief 
wept bitterly, and in the most pathetic tones implored 
the admiral not to take the lives of his friends ; assur- 
ing him that there should be no repetition of the 
offence, and pledging his own life as the forfeiture, 
if there should be. The admiral yielded, and the 
prisoners were set at liberty. 

Columbus had for some time been making prep- 
arations to set sail, with his squadron, in search of 
new realms. It will be remembered that he supposed 
Cuba to be, not an island, but a portion of the conti- 
nent of Asia. His present plan was to cruise along 
the southern coast of this vast promontory. 

The little squadron sailed on the 14th of April, 
1494. Don Diego Columbus was left in command 
at Isabella. Cruising to the westward, a short tarry 
was made at Monte Christo, and the fleet cast anchor 
in the gloomy bay of La Navidad. On the 29th^ 
passing the extreme western cape of St. Dommgo^ 
the ship came in sight of the extreme eastern cape 
of Cuba, which Columbus had named Alpha and 
Omega. It is now known as Point Maysi. The 
channel between the two islands is about fifty four 
miles wide. Crossing this channel, he ran along the 
•outhern coast of Cuba, about sixty miles, when he 



22'S V.HRIST0P11EK COLUMBUS. 

cast anchor in a capacious harbor, which he named 
Puerto Grande. It is now called Guantanamo. 

Cottages and fires, on the shore, indicated the 
presence of inhabitants. Columbus, with a well- 
armed party, landed. But not an Indian could be 
found. All had fled to the mountains. The Span- 
iards found food in abundance, which they eagerly 
devoured. Just as they had closed their feast, they 
saw, upon a distant eminence, about seventy Indians, 
looking down upon them apparently with awe and 
astonishment. Upon approaching, all but one fled 
with the utmost precipitation. One bold young man 
ventured to tarry behind, though apparently ready in 
an instant to bound away. 

Columbus sent forward an Indian interpreter 
with presents. The bold young man came forward, 
to meet the native envoy. Upon receiving the pres- 
ents, and assurances of the kind intentions of the 
Spaniards, he ran after his companions, to communi- 
cate to them the intelligence. Slowly, and with timid, 
hesitating footsteps, they returned. They had been 
sent to the coast, to procure fish for a great banquet, 
which the chief was to give to a neighboring chief- 
tain. The fishes had been roasted, to preserve 
them. The hungry Spaniards had devoured all. 
The gentle, friendly natives said that it was of no 
consequence, as one night's fishing would replace the 



THE COAST OF CUBA EXPLORED. 229 

loss. But Columbus, with characteristic justice, in 
sisted that full payment should be made. Thus the 
Spaniards and the Cubans parted, well-pleased with 
each other.* 

Still continuing his cruise to the west, the coun- 
try seemed to grow more fertile and more populous. 
Natives — men, women and children — crowded the 
shore, to gaze upon the fleet, gliding gently by, at 
the distance of about a mile from the land. At 
length the fleet entered another large bay, sur- 
rounded by beautiful scenery. It was probably the 
harbor now called St. Jago. The fleet anchored, and 
passed the night. The natives seemed to have lost 
all fear of the strangers. They came, in crowds, to 
the ships, in their canoes, lavishing upon the Span- 
iards the most generous hospitality. 

Everywhere Columbus inquired for gold. Gen- 
erally, in reply, the natives pointed south ; intima- 
ting that there was a large island there, abounding 
with the precious ore. On the 3d of March, Co- 
lumbus turned the prows of his ships in a southerly 
direction ; and abandoned the coast of Cuba, in 
search of the reported island. After a (cw hours* 
sail, magnificent mountains began to rear their heads, 
like clouds, in the horizon. As they drew near, a 
vision of wonderful beauty was unveiled before 

* " History of the Discoveries of Columbus." by Peter Martyr 



230 CIIRISTOJ'ilER COLUMBUS. 

them. Accustomed as they were to these hixuriant 
Edens, emerging from the sunny waves, exclama- 
tions of admiration burst from all lips, as the ships 
glided along the shores, where mountains, valleys, 
groves, and picturesque villages in ever-varying love- 
liness, charmed the eye. 

When quite near the shore, the wind died away, 
and the ships floated almost motionless, as upon a 
sea of glass. Instantly, about seventy canoes, crowded 
with warriors, pushed out from the shore. These 
truly intrepid men, painted, plumed, and brandish- 
ing their lances, uttered loud yells as they advanced, 
in war-like array, to attack an apparation which, to 
them, one would think must have been invested with 
supernatural terrors. 

When one of the canoes was within hailing dis- 
tance, a native interpreter called out to the crew. 
They understood him. His assurance of the friend- 
ship of the strangers, and the potent influence 
of some presents of marvellous value, in their eyes, 
which were tossed into their boat, disarmed their hos- 
pitality. They paddled back. The little fleet of 
canoes gathered around them to listen to their 
strange report. While they were thus conferring, 
lost in amazement, the wind freshened, and the squad- 
ron, unassailed, pursued its course. It is altogether 
probably that had not Columbus been on board, 



THE COAST OF CUBA EXPLuRHD. 23 1 

the Spanish sailors would have amused themselves 
in seeing what effect a few discharges of grape-shot, 
from their heavy cannon, would produce upon the 
dense throng of the natives huddled together in this 
group of canoes. 

A short sail brought them to a spacious harbor, 
where Columbus cast anchor. He named the bay 
Santa Gloria. Landing, he raised the Cross of Christ, 
and the banner of Spain, and took possession of the 
island in the name of his sovereigns. One of the 
ships had sprung a leak. It was necessary to careen 
and calk it. He sent a boat in search of a suitable 
spot. Two large canoes, filled with warriors, ap- 
proached, hurling their javelins at the crew ; but from 
such a distance that they fell harmless. Soon the 
beach was covered with Indians, brandishing their 
weapons like frantic men, and uttering hideous yells- 
These natives seemed to have none of the gentle 
character of those of Cuba and Hayti, but manifested 
all the ferocity of the Caribs. It was absolutely neces- 
sary to careen the ship. Columbus deemed it essen- 
tial that the natives should be overawed, so that they 
would not take advantage of the opportunity, and 
attack him with overwhelming numbers. Whether 
he pursued a wise course is a question upon which 
good men may differ. No candid man will assert 
thact an) love of cruelty inspired his action. 



232 CHRISTOPHER COLUMEUS. 

The shoal- water prevented the caravels from 
drawing near the beach. He therefore sent several 
boats toward the shore, well-manned and armed. 
We do not learn that they waited to be attacked, 
When within bow-shot of the land, they discharged 
a volley of arrows from their cross-bows, which 
wounded a number of the Indians, and put all the 
rest to flight. The Spaniards, cased in coats-of-mail 
impervious to the arrows of the natives, sprang upon 
the beach, and threw another volley of their sharp- 
pointed and barbed arrows upon the fugitives. At 
the same time they let loose, upon the almost naked 
natives, a powerful blood-hound, who pursued them 
with the resistless strength and ferocity of a tiger 
and mangled them with bloody fangs. 

This is the first account we have of the employ- 
ment of the terrible blood-hound in the butchery of 
the Indians. The terrified natives, being thus dis- 
persed, with no fear of their returning, Columbus 
took formal possession of the island. He gave it the 
name of Santiago. Fortunately, it has retained the 
far more beautiful Indian name of Jamaica. It is a 
melancholy reflection that the first approach of Chris- 
tendom to this barbaric isle was accompanied with 
terror, wounds, slaughter, and the manglings of the 
blood-hound.* 

* Cora de los Palacios, cap. 135 



THE COAST OF CUBA EXPLORED. 233 

For the remainder of that dismal day, not an 
Indian was to be seen. But the next morning, just 
as the sun was rising, six of the natives were seen at 
a distance, cautiously approaching, and apparently 
making signs of friendship. The admiral received 
them kindly, and learned that they were sent, by 
several of the chiefs, with offers of peace. Columbus 
assured them of his earnest desire to live on friendly 
terms with all the people ; but that he had power to 
punish them with the most terrible severity, should 
they be guilty of any treachery. In proof of his 
wish for fraternal intercourse, he sent the chiefs many 
presents, which they must have regarded as of ines- 
timable value. Who can imagine the worth of a sub- 
stantial sharp-edged knife to a savage, who has been 
accustomed painfully to carve out his bow and his 
arrows with pieces of flint? 

The Indians were like children. All their ani- 
mosity was at once laid aside. In crowds they came 
to the encampment, where Columbus was repairing 
his ships. For three days the most friendly inter- 
course prevailed. But these Indians were manifestly 
a warlike race. Their military weapons were quite 
formidable, and their war canoes were constructed 
with much artistic skill. They were made of the 
single trunk of a species of mahogany tree. Coluno- 



234 CHRISTOPHER COLUiMKUb. 

bus measured one of these canoes, which was ninety- 
six feet long, and eight broad. 

The ship being repaired, and a supply of water 
taken in> the cruise was continued along the coast of 
llie island, to the west. The breeze was very light, 
and the water so transparent that the pebbles could 
be seen at the depth of several fathoms. As the 
caravels glided slowly along, within a few rods of the 
shore, they were, at times, entirely surrounded by 
the canoes of the natives. They shot out from every 
bay, river, and headland. The island seemed to be 
thronging with inhabitants, all friendly, and all eager 
to get some European trinket at whatever price. 

Columbus still called for gold. None could be 
found. None could be heard of. Much disap- 
pointed, he turned back to what he considered the 
main land of Cuba. It was still uncertain whether 
Cuba was an island or a continent. That question 
he wished to solve. As they were spreading their 
sails, a very interesting Indian young man came on 
board the admiral's ship, and implored that he 
might be taken to the country of the Spaniards. 
Curiosity was apparently the motive which inspired 
him — an intense desire to visit the homes from which 
the wonderful strangers came. The relatives of the 
)'oung man, with the most pathetic lamentations 
entreated him to desist from his purpose. Though 



THE CDAST OF CUBA EXPLORED. 235 

the tender-hearted youth wept, he still persisted in 
his plan ; and, having obtained the consent of the 
admiral, hid himself in a secret part of the ship, that 
he mieht not witness the distress of his friends 
Unfortunately, we hear nothing more of this youth- 
ful adventurer. 

On the 1 8th of May Columbus reached the coast 
of Cuba, at a point which he called Cabo de la Cruz 
The name is still retained. There was a large vil- 
lage here. The inhabitants had heard of the first 
voyage of Columbus, and received the Spaniards 
with the greatest kindness. The admiral made 
many inquiries, of the most intelligent chiefs, 
whether Cuba was an island or a continent. Inva- 
riably they gave the contradictory reply that it was 
an island, but of limitless extent. No one, they 
declared, had ever been able to find any end to it. 
This gave confirmation to the opinion that Colum- 
bus was on the great continent of Asia. By con- 
tinuing his course further west, he thought 
that he should soon reach the renowned and le- 
splendent dominions of the great Khan. As he 
cruised along the southern shore he entered a won 
derful archipelago, where there seemed to be thou- 
sands of islands clothed in richest verdure, and of 
every variety of size and picturesque form. Most of 
the islands were uninhabited. The narrow chan 



236 CHRISTOPHIR COi^UiMBUS. 

nels between them were as still as the placid 
waters ot the most secluded mountain lake. Flow 
ers were in richest bloom. The groves, meadows, 
and waters abounded with tropical birds of splendid 
plumage. 

Upon one of the largest of the islands, which 
Columbus called Santa Marta, he landed. It was 
the 22d of May. There were inhabitants here, but 
they had abandoned their houses. It afterward 
appeared that they were absent on a fishing excur- 
sion. Slowly working his way through the narrow 
channel of these islands, he continued his course 
about fifty miles beyond, when, on the 3d of June, 
he came to a large Indian village. The inhabitants 
received the strangers with that kindness which was 
almost invariable on the island of Cuba. 

Here again Columbus was assured that there was 
no western end to Cuba. A prosperous breeze filled 
his sails, and the admiral was quite sanguine, as he 
pressed onward toward the setting sun, that he 
should soon reach the civiHzed realms of Asia. 
There was now before him an expanse of nearly a 
hundred miles, unbroken by a single island. The 
densely wooded coast of Cuba was on his right. On 
the left was the broad and open sea. The weathei 
was delightful ; and the fleet kept so near the coast 
that the natives came off in great numbers, some 



THE COAST OF CUBA EXPLORED, 237 

swimming and some in canoes. Through the night 
the songs of the natives and their rude music, were 
wafted by the gentle breezes to their ears. It was 
suppos-ed that the natives were thus celebrating the 
advent of the celestial visitants. 

That region, then so populous, is row a dreary 
solitude. Not a single descendant of the Indians 
whose peaceful homes then adorned the hills and the 
valleys, now remains. Humboldt, but a few years 
ago, passed a night on this coast. He writes : 

" I passed a great part of the night upon the 
deck. What deserted coasts ! not a light to announce 
the cabin of a fisherman. From Batabano to Trin- 
idad, a distance of one hundred and fifty miles, there 
does not exist a village. Yet, at the time of Colum- 
bus, this land was inhabited even along the margin 
of the sea. When pits are digged in the soil, or the 
torrents plough open the surface of the earth, there 
are often found hatchets of stone, or vessels of cop- 
per, relics of the ancient inhabitants of the land." * 

After two days* sail, the fleet reached another 
group of islands, through whose intricate channels it 
was with difficulty and danger that the vessels 
threaded their way. Still Columbus pressed onward 
to the west. Every hour he hoped to meet with 
'ionci^ ii/di^ations that he was approaching the great 

* Humboldt, '* Essai Pol. sur Cuba/' torn. ii. p. 25. 



238 CHRISTOPHER C(jLUMBUS. 

eastern empire. But day after day he encountered 
only naked savages and their lowly huts. The dia- 
lect of the Indians, in these remote regions, had 
become unintelligible to the native interpreters from 
Hayti. But little could be learned from them, by 
the language of signs. But Columbus so interpreted 
their signs, as to receive constant confirmation that 
he was cruising along the shores of the vast Asiatic 
continent. 

All the companions of Columbus agreed with 
him in this opinion. And among these w^ere several 
learned scholars, and experienced navigators. The 
ships were crippled by the long voyage. The rig- 
ging was worn, and the sails tattered. Their pro- 
visions were nearly exhausted. The sailers were 
discontented and murmuring. There was no longer 
any novelty in the scenes presented. All wished to 
return. Columbus himself did not deem it safe to 
continue the voyage longer. He assembled all the 
officers, and the most intelligent men. With one 
voice they declared that Cuba could not be an island ; 
that it was impossible but that so vast a continuity 
of land should be a continent. 

The admiral deemed it of the utmost importance 
that his opinion should be sustained by the corrobo- 
rative evidence of all on board the ships. As he had 
already ample evidence that he had hosts of ene- 



THF COAST OF CUBA EXPLORED. 239 

mies, who were disposed to dispute his statements 
and depreciate his discoveries, he wished to estabUsh 
the fact that he had discovered a continent by proof 
which would command universal confidence. He 
therefore sent an accredited officer to every ship in 
the little squadron, to take the opinion, under oath, 
of every person, from the captain to the ship-boy. 
To every one the statement was made, that if he had 
any doubt whatever, that the land before them was 
the continent of India, he should state that doubt, 
and give the reason for it ; that it might then and 
there be considered. 

Lest some, from caprice or malice, should hereafter 
declare that they had not given an honest opinion ; 
that from compulsion or policy they had signed a false 
statement, thus convicting Columbus of fraud, and 
of attempting to deceive his sovereigns by pretended 
discoveries, sustained by documents which fear had 
extorted, it was proclaimed that should any one here- 
after declare that he had given, from interested 
motives, a false opinion, and that he did not believe 
that a continent had been reached — if an officer, he 
should pay a penalty of ten thousand marevedi ; * 
if a common sailor, he was to receive a hundred 
lashes, and have his tongue cut out, 

* Mare^^edi ; a small copper coin of Spain, equal to three mills 
of American money ; less than a farthing sterling. — Wekster. 



24C CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

This awful penalty, to be inflicted upon the igno 
rant, fanatic sailors, who could be easily bribed to 
make any declaration the enemies of Columbus 
might desire, indicate how deeply his feelings were 
exasperated by the conspiracies which were continu- 
ally formed against him, as an upstart foreigner, the 
" son of nobody." Though it is undoubtedly true 
that Columbus never intended that the cruel penalty 
should be executed, it is unfortunate that it should 
have been announced. It put a new weapon in the 
hands of those who were ever eager to assail the 
admiral.* 

The experienced navigators and geographers on 
board t^.e vessels carefully examined the maps and 
charts. After mature deliberation, they unanimously 
gave it as their opinion that they had reached the 
main land. Upon oath they declared that they had 
no doubt upon the subject. They stated that, in 
the sinuosities of their voyage along the coast of 
Cuba, they had already traversed an extent of over 
a thousand miles, and that the land still continued 
to stretch out interminably beyond them. Every 
individual on board the ships united in the general 

* This document still exists. It may be found entire in the col- 
lection of Martin Fernandez de Navarette. He was secretary of the 
R jyai Academy of History at Madrid. All bubsequent historians of 
the great discoverer are much indebted to the valuable collection h« 
made of documents relative to the Voyages of Columbus. 



THE COAST OE CUBA EXPLORED. 241 

Statement. Columbus cherished not a doubt that he 
had reached the Asiatic continent. In this convic- 
tion he Hved and died.* 

It is thought that this important statement was 
drawn up in the bay of Phihppina, though some place 
it in the bay of Cortez. The ships were then so 
near the western end of the island, that a sail of 
three days would have dissolved the illusion, and 
would have introduced the fleet to the almost bound- 
less waters of the Mexican gulf. 

The squadron commenced its return, following 
along the coast in a south-east direction. They soon 
came to a group of small islands and barren rocks, 
which the Spaniards called cayoSy or keys.f In the 

* Mr. Aaron Goodrich comments upon this movement as follows : 
" That he knew that he was not in Asia, is evident from the extraor- 
dinary measures he took to convince the world he had reached that 
continent. Had he been assured of that fact, he would have trusted 
to further investigation to establish its verity. On the other hand, if 
he knew he was practising a fraud, he would endeavor to procure as 
much testimony as possible to insure the fraud's gaining credence. 

** Here Columbus, not content with speaking and writing a false- 
hood, is guilty of subornation of perjury. He manufactures perjury 
wholesale, which felony he would perpetrate by the barbarous mean? 
of scourging, and cutting out the tongues of those who speak the truth 
Thus, by a system unknown to Thales and Ptolemy — original, if not 
scientific, did the much-lauded navigator and astronomer, the pious 
and humane ' admiral,* determine the latitude and the longi*; ade of the 
Island of Cuba.'' — Life of Columbus, p. 243. 

f Cayo, or key ; sandbank, rock, or islet in the sea ; an island 
rising a little above the surface of the water, as in the West Indies,— 
Weh^ter. 

1 1 



242 CHKISTOrHER COLUMBUS. 

midst of them majestic mountains rose towering t<J 
the skies, indicating an island of imperial grandeur. 
Columbus had no time to explore it. In one of the 
harbors he anchored, for a few hours, to take in wood 
and water, and to raise upon it the cross of our cru- 
cified Saviour, and the banner of Spain. Columbus 
gave the island the name of ^vangelista. It is now 
called the Island of Pines. 

Through many perils and occasional disasters in 
navigating these unknown seas, where rock and sand- 
bars abounded, they followed along the coast of 
Cuba, toward the east. His crew had become greatly 
enfeebled by the enervating climate, the unaccus- 
tomed food, and the incessant toil and watchings 
which had been necessary. For two months they 
struggled against difficulties and dangers. The heat 
of the sun destroyed all fresh provisions in a few 
hours. Fish must be cooked and eaten as soon as 
caught. The crew, at sea, were reduced to a pound 
of mouldy bread a day, and a small portion of wine. 

On the 7th of July, Columbus ran into an allur- 
ing harbor to refresh his exhausted men. The Indi- 
ans regaled them with all abundance. As usual. 
Columbus raised the cross and the banner. It was 
Sunday morning. Mass was performed with great 
solemnity. A crowd o^ natives gazed, with intensest 
interest, upon the pageant. A venerable chief, four 



THE COAST OF CUBA EXPLORED. 243 

score years of age, seemed impressed with awe and 
reverence, as he Hstened to the chanting of tne robed 
priests, and witnessed the lighted tapers, the wreaths 
of incense, and the mysterious gesticulations. When 
the service was ended he approached Columbus and, 
taking him by the hand, addressed him in the follow- 
ing extraordinary speech : 

•' This, which thou hast been doing, appears to 
be thy manner of giving thanks to God. I am told 
that thou hast lately come to these lands, with a 
mighty force, and subdued many countries, spread- 
ing great fear among the people. But be not there- 
fore vainglorious. Know that, according to our 
belief, the souls of men have two journeys to per- 
form, after they have departed from the body. One 
to a place dismal and foul, and covered with dark- 
ness, prepared for those who have been unjust and 
cruel to their fellow-men. The other, pleasant and 
full of delight, for such as have promoted peace on 
earth. If then thou art mortal, and dost expect to 
die, and dost believe that each one shall be rewarded 
according to his deeds, beware that thou wrongfully 
hurt no man ; nor do harm to those who have done 
no harm to thee." * 

The speech was interpreted by the Ilaytien 

* This remarkable speech is recorded by all the early annalists 0/ 
Columbus; by Herrera, Ferdinando Columbus and Peter Martyr. 



244 CHRISTOPHER COLUxMBUS. 

inttrpieter. Columbus was surprised in hearing 
such noble sentiments from the lips of the aged 
chief. In reply he assured the venerable Indian 
that he agreed with him in his views as to the future 
state of the soul ; that it was his wish to teach them 
the true religion, and to protect them from all in- 
jury; and that consequently all innocent people 
might look to him as a friend and protector. The 
aged ( hieftain seemed suddenly seized with an 
intense desire to visit the wonderful country from 
which the Spaniards came. His wife and children, 
however, pleaded with the good old man with such 
lamentations and tears, that he was persuaded to 
desist from his purpose. 

** Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter 
of persons. But in every nation he that feareth Him 
and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him."* 

The name of Rio de la Misa, River of the 
Mass, was given to the spot where these events took 
place. On the i6th of July he again weighed 
anchor. Steering to the south, he sailed over a 
broad and open sea, directing his course for Hispan- 
iola. Several tropical gales were encountered, of 
such severity that the escape of the fleet seemed 
almost miraculous. Fierce and contrary winds drove 
the squadron across to Jamaica. Nearly a month 

* St. Peter, as quoted in the Acts of the Apostles, x. 34. 



THE COAST OF CUBA EXPLORED. 245 

was Spent in beating eastward, against head-winds^ 
on this coast. Almost every evening Columbus cast 
anchor in some one of the numerous harbors which 
indented the shore. Often, at night, he anchored 
near the same spot which he had left in the morning. 

The natives were no longer hostile. They 
brought supplies profusely to the ships. Though 
all the novelty of tropical scenery had long since 
passed away, Columbus was increasingly delighted 
with the beauty and productiveness of the noble 
island. We give one of the scenes witnessed on 
this cruise, as described by the graphic pen of Wash- 
ington Irving. 

" The next morning the ships were undei way, 
and standing along the coast, with a light wind and 
easy sail, when they beheld three canoes, issuing 
from among the islands of the bay. They ap- 
proached in regular order. One, which was very 
large, and handsomely carved and painted, was in 
the centre, a little in advance of the two others, 
which appeared to attend and guard it. In this was 
seated the cacique and his family, consisting of his 
wife, two daughters, two sons, and five brothers. 

** One of the daughters was eighteen years of age, 
beautiful in form and countenance. Her sister was 
somewhat younger. Both were naked, according to 
the custom of these islands ; but were of modest 



246 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

demeanor. In the prow of the canoe stood the 
standard-bearer of the cacique, clad in a mantle of 
variegated feathers, with a tuft of gay plumes on his 
head, and bearing in his hand a fluttering white 
banner. Two Indians, with caps or helmets of 
feathers, of uniform shape and color, and their faces 
painted in a similar manner, beat upon tabors. Two 
others, with hats curiously wrought of green feath- 
ers, held trumpets of a fine, black wood, ingeniously 
carved. There were six others, in large hats of 
white feathers, who appeared to be guards to the 
cacique. 

" Having arrived alongside of the admiral's ship, 
the cacique entered on board with all his train. He 
appeared in full regalia. Around his head was a 
small band of small stones of various colors, but prin- 
cipally green, symmetrically arranged, with large 
white stones at intervals, and connected in front with 
a large jewel of gold. Two plates of gold were sus- 
pended to his ears, by rings of very small green 
stones. To a necklace of white beads, of a kind 
ieemed precious by them, was suspended a large 
plate, in the form of a fleur-de-lys,* of guanin, an 
inferior species of gold. A girdle of variegated 

* Fleur-de-lys, flower of the lily. The royal insignia of France. 
Whether originally representing a lily, or the head of a javelin, il 
disputed. — Webster. 



THE COAI3T OF CUBA EXPLORED. 247 

stones, similar to those around his head, completed 
hi? regal decorations. 

'* His wife was adorned in a similar manner ; 
having also a small apron of cotton, and bands of the 
same round her arms and legs. The daughters were 
without ornaments, excepting the oldest and the 
handsomest, who had a girdle of small stones, from 
which was suspended a tablet, the size of an ivy leaf, 
composed of various-colored stones, embroidered on 
network of cotton. 

" When the cacique entered on board the ship, 
he distributed presents of the productions of the 
island, among the officers and the men. The ad- 
miral was at this time in his cabin, engaged in his 
morning devotions. When he appeared on deck the 
chieftain hastened to meet, him with an animated 
countenance, and said : 

" * My Friend : I have determined to leave my 
country and to accompany thee. I have heard, from 
the Indians who are with thee, of the irresistible 
power of the sovereigns, and of the many nations 
thou hast subdued in their name. Whoever refuses 
obedience to thee is sure to suffer. Thou hast de- 
stroyed the canoes and dwellings of the Carib ; 
slaying their warriors, and carrying into captivity 
their wives and children. All these islands are in 
dread of thee. For who can withstand thee, now 



248 CHRISTOPHER C\.LUMBUS. 

thou knowcst the secrets of the land and the weak- 
ness oi the people. Rather, therefore, than that 
thou shouldst take away my dominions, I will em- 
bark with all my household in thy ships, and will go 
to do homage to thy king and queen, and to behold 
their countr}-.' 

" When this speech was explained to Columbus, 
and he beheld the wife the sons, and the daughters 
of the cacique, and thought upon the snares to which 
their ignorance and simplicity would be exposed, he 
was touched with compassion, and determined not 
to take them from their native land. He replied to 
the cacique, therefore, that he received him under 
his protection as a vassal of his sovereigns ; but hav- 
ing many lands yet to visit before he returned to his 
country, he would, at some future time, fulfil his de- 
sire. Then, taking leave with many expressions of 
amity, the cacique, with his wife and daughters and 
all his retinue re-embarked in the canoes, returning 
leluctantly to the island, and the ships continued on 
their course." * 

There was still a long voyage before Columbus. 
He was assailed by tempests ; the shattered fleet 
was dispersed, and many perils and suflerings wrre 
encountered. Columbus was utterly exhausted by 
anxiety and toil. He had shared the scanty fare un.1 

• ** Life of Columbus," vol. i. p. 456. 



THE COAST OF CUBA EXPLORED. 249 

all the hardships of the most humble sailor. While, 
amid the howlings of the tempest others slept, he, 
with heavy eyelids and a care-worn heart, faced the 
peltings of the storm through sleepless nights. The 
lives of all depended upon him ; and the world was 
anxiously watching the result of his enterprise. A 
sudden paralysis struck him down. He was instantly 
deprived of memory, sight, and of all his faculties, 
In a state of utter unconsciousness — in a lethargy 
resembling death — the heroic admiral was borne into 
the harbor of Isabella. Apparently, well would it 
have been for him if he could have passed from that 
stupor into that sleep which has no earthly waking. 
Appropriate would have been the motto : 

" Life's labor done, securely laid 
In this his last retreat, 
Unheeded o'er his silent dust 
The stonns of life shtll b<at" 



CHAPTER X. 

Tht Return to Spam, and the Third Voyage 

Arrival of Bartholomew Columbus — Outrages of Margarite — Con 
spiracy against Columbus — Friendship of Guacanagari — Feat ct 
Ojeda — Enslaving the natives — A bloodv battle — Despotisnr 
of Columbus — Mission of Juan Aguado — The return to Spain — 
Weary months of disappointment — Unfortunate ebullition of 
passion — The third voyage commenced — Incidents of the voy- 
age — The administration of Bartholomew Columbus — Anarchy 
at Hispaniola. 

It was the 29th of September, 1494, when the 
little fleet entered the harbor of Isabella, bearing 
the almost lifeless body of the admiral, in a state of 
utter helplessness and unconsciousness. Though 
Columbus had bitter enemies at Isabella, he had 
also many friends. His friends had been greatly 
disquieted by his long absence, and greatly rejoiced 
at his return, though in a state of such extreme 
debility. During the absence of the admiral, his 
tenderly beloved younger brother. Bartholomew, 
came out from Spain to join him, with three ships, 
freighted with supplies. As Columbus regained 
consciousness he was overjoyed to find his brother 
at his side. 



THE THIRD VOYAGE. 25I 

Bartliolomew was a far more efficient man than 
his mild and amiable elder brother, Diego. His 
person and address were as commanding as were 
the energies of his mind. He was well educated 
in the science of the times, and could write fluently 
in the Latin language. Columbus immediately ap- 
pointed him lieutenant-governor over his domains, 
which were then nominally so vast as to have 
no recognized limits. His duties were, however, 
mainly confined to the settlements at Isabella and 
St. Thomas. 

Hayti consisted of five territorial divisions, each 
occupied by an independent tribe or nation. Over 
each an absolute hereditary chief reigned, aided by 
many minor chiefs. The population of the island 
was perhaps extravagantly estimated at one million. 
It will be remembered that Don Pedro Margarite, 
with a force of four hundred men, had entered upon 
a tour to explore the island. Regardless of th* in- 
structions he had received, and apparently seeking 
self-indulgence only, he entered the luxuriant plains 
of the Vega, where he and his men indulged in 
e\ ery imaginable excess. 

They robbed the Indians. They caroused through 
their dwellings. They treated matrons and maidens 
with every conceivable outrage. Tidings of these 
Atrocities reached the ears of the amiable Diego 



252 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Columbus, during the absence of the admiral. He 
summoned his council. A severe reproof was sent 
to Margarite, and he was ordered immediately to pro- 
ceed on his exploring tour. But the haughty Span- 
ish noble affected to despise the Genoese adventurers 
— S071S of nobody. He paid no heed to the warning, 
and plunged more deeply into all diabolical excesses. 
Ten Spaniards, in their impenetrable coats of mails, 
could put to flight a hundred naked Indians. The 
poor natives, goaded to desperation, attempted re- 
sistance. Fearfully they were slaughtered. 

Caonabo organized a confederacy. With a thou- 
sand warriors he marched against the Spanish fiends, 
who, like demons, were rioting through the homes of 
his people. Blood deluged the land. Many Span- 
iards were killed. It does not speak well for Gua- 
canagari that he refused to join the alliance of the 
other four chiefs against the Spaniards. But his 
love for Columbus was such that he remained, 
through all these scenes of horror, his firm friend. 
Though one of his own wives had been murdered 
by the Spanish soldiers, and another had been car. 
ried off* by them, he even offered to fight by th« 
side of the Spaniards against the coalition of Caon- 
abo. Perhaps he was, in some degree, incited to 
this by revenge for the injuries he had received from 



THE THIRD VOYAGE. 253 

Caonabo, who had laid his town in asiies w hen he 
destroyed the Spanish garrison. 

Ojeda was a skilled and terrible warrior. He 
was never more at home than amid the tumult and 
carnage of the battle-field. Cased in armor from 
head to foot, he plunged into the thickest bands of 
the enemy, as recklessly and pitilessly as a fanged 
wolf would leap into a fold of lambs. 

Margarite was not only of ancient family, but 
was a favorite of the king. The Spanish nobles, in 
Hispaniola, generally rallied to his support. Friai 
Boyle, who was at the head of the religious fraternity, 
joined them. Thus there was a very powerful aris- 
tocratic faction formed against Columbus and his 
brothers. They could not forget that Columbus, in 
a time of emergency, had compelled hidalgos and 
ecclesiastics to share in the toils and deprivations 
of the common people. 

The haughty Margarite assumed that he was mil- 
itary commander of the island. Leaving the army 
m the care of Ojeda, he returned to Isabella, to plot 
against the admiral, who was then on his cruise along 
*he coast of Cuba. He did not even condescend to 
call upon Diego Columbus, wl: o was then in com- 
mand, or to recognize his authority in any way, 
Concerting with the grandees, he and Bishop Boyle 
who was also in high favor with the king, took pos 



254 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

session of some ships, and with a large band of mal 
contents, sailed for Spain. All were agreed to present 
at the Spanish court the loudest possible clamoi 
against Coluiiibus. 

Such was the deplorable state of affairs when the 
admiral was brought, in a state of utter insensibility, 
into the port of Isabella. Columbus had scarcely 
recovered consciousness, before his firm friend Gua- 
canagari came, with brotherly sympathy, to his bed- 
side. All suspicion of the good faith of the cacique 
was now banished entirely from the mind of the ad 
miral and his friends. Columbus, though a man of 
intense emotions, was not a passionate man. He 
was calm, thoughtful, sedate. No provocations 
could rouse him to a fury of rac^e. As he listened 
to the story of tlie a ocities of the Spaniards, and 
witnessed the ruin wrought upon the colony, 
though his soul was agitated to its inmost depths, it 
was with j^rief rather than with wrath. 

All his thoughts were directed to the question 
of what was to be done to restore tranquillity. But 
this was impossible. An archangel from heaven 
could not have accomplished this, with the Spanish 
soldiers as the instruments with which he was to 
work. The forces of Columbus were small. Many 
had died of their excesses. Many had been killed 
in their straggling bands, by the natives. And quite 



THE THIRD vOYAGE. 255 

a number had returned in the ships. The natives 
were justly in the highest state of exasperation 
The coaHtion was very formidable. It could bring 
many thousand warriors into the field. 

An Indian chief, by the name of Guarionex, was 
sovereign cacique of the Royal Vega. Columbus 
sent a friendly embassy to him, and assured him that 
the excesses of the Spaniards were contrary to his 
express orders, and that it was his earnest desire to 
live on friendly terms with the natives. He made 
the chief rich presents ; treated him in all respects 
with brotherly kindness, and induced him to give his 
daughter in marriage to the Indian interpreter, who 
was in high favor with Columbus, and to whom he 
had given the Christian name of Diego Colon. The 
amiable cacique was won over by these kind- 
nesses. 

Caonabo was, above all others, the dreaded war 
rior of those wilds. Ojeda's chivalric deeds of dar- 
ing had won his admiration. The young Spaniard 
formed a plan to capture the Indian chief. It was 
wild, romantic, and perilous in the extreme. The 
story could not be credited, were it not sustained by 
the most unquestionable authority. He selected ten 
companions. All were in glittering armor, and 
mounted on powerful horses. Plunging into the 
forest, they rode about one hundred and fifty miles, 



256 x^nRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

to Maguana, one of the principal towns of the chief, 
and where he then resided. 

Ojeda approached the chief with great deference. 
Addressing him as a sovereign prince, he assured 
him that he had come from Columbus with rich 
presents, and to implore that cruel war might cease 
and that friendly relations might be established. 
Caonabo, who, with his people, had suffered terribly, 
and was despairing of his power to resist the Span- 
iards, not unwillingly listened to his proposals. 
Ojeda and his companions were hospitably enter- 
tained. The perfidious young Spaniard exerted 
all his powers of attraction to win the confidence of 
the chief. 

He proposed that Caonabo should accompany 
him to Isabella, where he assured him that he should 
receive the highest honors from Columbus; should 
be loaded with gifts; and that the admiral would 
become his firm friend and ally, to aid him in all 
his plans. 

There was a bell in the chapel of Isabella. As it 
was daily rung for church services its tones swept 
far and wide over hill and valley, exciting the 
amazement of the natives. There was nothing the 
Spaniards possessed which so deeply impressed the 
Indians. Even Caonabo himself had often prowled 
about the settlement, listening to its wondrous tones 



THE THIRD VOYAGE. 257 

Ojeda told Caonabo that Columbus, anxious to 
prove the sincerity of his friendship, had decided to 
make the chief a present of that bell, which he 
would aid him to suspend upon a tower at his pal- 
ace. This lure was irresistible. The chief consented 
to accompany the treacherous Spaniard to Isabella. 

When the time for departure came, Ojeda was 
surprised to find that Caonabo had a very large 
force of warriors ready to accompany him. Upon 
inquiring the reason, the chief replied : 

'' It is not becoming that a great prince, like 
myself, should visit the Spanish admiral with a 
scanty attendance." 

Ojeda began to fear that the chief was also play- 
ing a perfidious game ; and that he was plotting 
either to capture the admiral, or to take the garrison 
by surprise. The march, however, was commenced. 
They encamped upon the banks of a stream, where 
they had high festivities, in the intermingling of 
Spanish and Cuban sports. Ojeda had a set of man- 
acles, of highly polished steel. To the natives they 
appeared like the richest ornaments they had ever 
seen Ojeda told Caonabo that they were decora* 
tions such as the Spanish monarchs wore when they 
wished to appear in greatest splendor. He sug- 
gested that the chief should mount the horse of 
Ojeda, behind him, and being adorned with the 



258 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

manacles, should ride into the camp, exciting the 
astonishment and admiration of all his people. 

The chief consented ; the little band of horsemen 
was instructed how to act. The cacique was mana- 
cled, and mounted on a powerful steed behind Ojeda. 
After a few evolutions, the cavaliers, all mounted, 
closed around, and putting spurs to their chargers, 
vanished through the paths of the dense forest with 
their prize. With drawn swords they threatened the 
chief with instant death should he make any resis- 
tance. They had before them a journey of nearly 
one hundred and fifty miles. It was safely accom- 
plished. The captive was conveyed in triumph tc 
the fortress of Isabella.* 

Columbus forgot the treachery of the act, in the 
satisfaction he felt in having the most formidable 
foe of the Spaniards in his power. The high-spirited 
Carib chief was held in close confinement. He 
maintained an imperial air of defiance, scorning to 
ask any favors or to manifest any spirit of submis- 
sion. He seemed to regard the feat performed by 
Ojeda with great admiration, notwithstanding he 
was the victim of the stratagem. When Columbus 
entered his apartment, he paid him no reverence 

* This remarkable exploit is recorded by Las Ca; as, Herrera 
Fernando, Pizrjro, Charlevoix, Peter Martyr, and others. Aj parentis 
it is Well xuthe iticated 



THE THIRD VOYAGE. 259 

When Ojeda entered, he rose and saluted him with 
the most profound respect Upon being asked 
why he thus neglected the supreme governor, and 
manifested homage to one of his subjects, the 
haughty cacique replied: 

'' The admiral never dared to come, in person, 
to the heart of my territories to seize me. It is 
only through the valor of Ojeda that I am a prisoner. 
To him I owe reverence, and not to the admiral." 

The subjects of Caonabo bitterly deplored his 
captivity. One of his brothers raised an army of 
seven thousand men, and marched to his rescue. 
Ojeda, with a squadron of steel-clad horsemen, 
plunged upon them by surprise, and put them to 
flight in a terrible panic. Their gleaming swords, 
their armor, which neither arrow nor javelin could 
penetrate ; the blood-hounds, who seized the naked 
Indians by the throat and dragged them to the 
earth ; and, most dreadful of all, the ferocious beasts 
the Spaniards strode — as frightful, in their view, as 
lions and tigers to women and children — enabled a 
few hundred men to scatter ten times their number 
In utter rout. Ojeda was merciless. The poor 
nalives, fighting in the most righteous cause, were 
massacred as dogs devour lambs.* 

* O^ iedo, " Cronica de los Indias," lib. iii. cap, i ; Charlevoii 

* Hist St. Domingo," lib. ii. p. 131. 



26o CHRISTOPHER i^OLUMBUS. 

About this time four ships arrived firom Spalc 
with ample supplies. They brought very compli- 
mentan- letters to Columbus from both Ferdinand 
and Isabella. Margarite and Friar Boyle had not 
yet reached Spain, to poisor. the minds of th^ 
ma"esties with their atrocious libels. A proclama- 
tion was issued by the sovereigns, commanding the 
colonists to obey Columbus as implicitly as they 
would the king and queen. The admiral was also 
invited to return to Si..;:- :: ^.ssist the court, with 
his experience, to adjust the geographical line which 
would separate the discoveries of Portugal from those 
of Spain. 

Columbus did not feel that he could then safely 
leave the colon v. Evervthinsr was in confusion. 
The workinor of the mines had entirelv ceased. The 
severe sickness \\"ith which he was attacked stiL 
confined him to his bed. He therefore decided that 
his brother Diego should return to Spain to attend 
to his interests there. As he had no gold to transmit 
to the sovereigns, he sent five hundred kidnapped 
natives, who, he suggested, might be sold as slaves 
at Se\-ille. Mr. Ir\*ing, commenting uf>on this 
atrocious act, ver\' judiciously remarks : 

'• It is painful to find the brilliant renown of 
Columbus sullied by so foul a stain. The customs 
of the times, however, must be pleaded in his 



THE THIRD VuYAGE. ?6l 

apK)lag\'. The precedent had been given, long be. 
fore, by both Spaniards and Portuguese, in their 
African discoveries, wherein the traffic in slaves had 
formed one of the greatest sources of profit. In 
fact the practice had been sanctioned by the Church 
itself ; and the most learned theologians had pro- . 
nounced all barbarous and infidel nations, who shut 
their eyes to the truths of Christianit}', fair objects 
of war and rapine, of capti\nt>' and slaver\'." * 

It is manifestly right that these considerations 
should have some weight in palliating the great 
crime of Columbus, in thus enslax'ing the natives. 
But the deed will ever remain an indelible stain 
upK>n his character. Columbus ought to have known 
better. There were men, in those days, who did 
iee the iniquity of the practice, and remonstrated 
against it. The good Las Casas vehemently de 
nounced the atrocit}'. And yet with candor which 
does him honor he •«Tites : 

"If pious and le3.rned men, whom the king and 
queen took for guides and instructors, were so igno- 
rant of the injustice of this practice, it is not strange 
that the unlettered admiral should not be conscious 
of its great wrong." f 

* Life of Colunbvs." voL u. p. 42. 

t * I^as CasJts. by a singular inooosisteBcy, in liis seal Ibr tke Ia- 
4uDBS. bccane tbe antlior <^ the sUtc trade, faj ^v^xisii^ to poicliasa 
from the Pornagne^ in Africa to sopf^T the planters with 



262 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

All the inhabitants of the island, with the excep» 
tion of the few whom Guacanagari could influence, 
were now roused to the highest pitch of indignation 
against the Spaniards. Columbus, prostrate upon 
his bed, in the extreme of languor, with his military 
force and his whole colony suffering greatly from 
sickness, exerted all his powers of conciliation to dis- 
pel the hostility which was roused against him. But 
the outrages which had been inflicted upon the na- 
tives they could not easily forget. 

A combined army of the natives was assembled 
in the Vega, within two days' march of Isabella 
Columbus rose from his bed to repel the approach- 
ing assault. He could muster only two hundred 
infantry, and twenty horsemen. They were armed 
with weapons far superior to those of the natives. 
They had many arquebuses. These were very for- 
midable weapons, like large muskets, which threw a 
heavy ball, and which were supported on forked 
rests when in use. They had also twenty blood- 
hounds, as fierce as tigers. Nothing daunted them. 
With inconceivable ferocity they plunged upon the 

'aborers. This was unfortunately put in execution. He composea 
aeveral works, wh'ch have never oeen published, among which is a 
General History of the Indies.' All his works evince profound 
learning, solid judgment, and piety. Notwithstanding his great incon- 
«\stency with regard to the negroes, he must be regarded as a very 
Jbenevolent man, and a lover of manV'nd" —JZncyclopadia Amencarm 
Aftkle Las Cams. • 



THE THIRD VOYAGE. 263 

naked bodies of the Indians, grasped them by the 
throat, and with bloody fangs tore them to pieces. 

On the 27th of March, 1495, Columbus, with his 
little army, issued from Isabella, and marched to 
attack the foe by surprise. The Indians, by their 
scouts, learned of his approach. Las Casas states 
that the native army numbered one hundred thou- 
sand men.* This is doubtless an exaggeration. It 
is not probable that any accurate estimate of their 
numbers could be made. The battle took place 
near the present city of St. Jago. It was an awful 
scene of slaughter. The steel-clad cavaliers hewed 
down the natives with sinews which seemed never to 
tire. The blood-hounds seized them with a grip 
which nothing could loose, and tearing out their 
bowels, sprang from one to another with satanic 
energies. The victory of the Spaniards was entire. 
The natives were crushed beyond all retrieval. 

The cruelty with which Columbus followed this 
scene of carnage and woe, is utterly inexcusable. 
With his steel-clad dragoons he made a military tour 
through the provinces. In important places h< 
reared fortresses, which he garrisoned with blood 
hounds, and with mailed warriors no less ferocious 
and pitiless. Ojeda was eager for any enterprise of 
rapine and slaughter. At the slightest menace of 

* Las Casas " Hist. Ind.," lib. i. cap. 104, MS. 



264 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

resistance, he would tali upon the doomed point like 
a thunderbolt. 

That he might send gold to the Spanish court, 
and thus silence the calumnies which his enemies 
were fabricating against him, he endeavored to raise 
an extravagant revenue, by imposing the most intol- 
erable burdens of taxation. Eveiy individual native, 
above the age of fourteen, was required to pay, every 
three months, an amount of gold dust equivalent to 
five dollars of our money ; or, if we estimate the 
superior value of gold in those days, equal to fifteen 
dollars of our time.* Thus these naked, native 
children were compelled to pay a tax amounting to 
sixty dollars a year, in gold. A much larger sum 
was extorted from the chiefs. Manicaotex, the 
brother of Caonabo, was obliged to pay, every three 
months, gold to the amount of one hundred and fifty 
pesos^ or six-hundred dollars a year.f It would 
seem that nothing but the terrors of the blood- 
hounds' fangs could have driven the poor natives to 
the toil oi collecting gold dust sufficient to pay such 
enormous taxation. A copper medal was suspended 
around the neck of each one who had paid the tax. 
If any were found without the medal, he was liable 
to arrest and severe punishment. In those provinces 

* Las Casas '' Hist. Ind.," lib. i. cap. 10$, 
f Peso ; the Spanish dollar of exchange. 



IHE THIRD VOYAGE. 265 

where there was no gold dust, twenty-five pounds of 
cotton for each person were demanded every three 
moi ths."^ 

The ruin which had fallen upon the inhabitants 
?f Hispaniola was like that which befell Eden when 
Satan entered it. Utter despair overwhelmed the 
people. Sounds of woe filled the air. The simple- 
hearted natives, living upon fruit, and in bowers of 
bloom, all unused to labor, were reduced to the most 
deplorable slavery, and doomed to anxiety and toil 
which rendered life a burden. There was no escape, 
and no hope. Their pleasant island life was at an 
end. The gloom of utter despair settled down over 
Hispaniola, and from this gloom there was no ref- 
uge, until the perishing inhabitants were silent in 
the grave. The history of the world is full of trag- 
edies. But we know not where to look for one more 
deplorable than the fate of the inhabitants of the 
West India Islands. 

* We find ourselves in entire sympathy with Mr. Goodrich in his 
comments upon these atrocities. He writes : " Leaving the hideous 
ami ghastly scene of butchery, and assuming the air of a conqueror. 
Columbus now traversed the island, and proceeded to extort an im- 
aiense revenue from the unoflfending inhabitants. In vain the poor 
islanders, crushed by this imposition, remonstrated. In vain the 
chiefs, in lieu thereof, offered to cultivate, for him, a breadth of land 
stretching across the island from sea to sea — enough, according to Las 
Casas, to furnish all Castile with bread for ten years. Columbuj was 
inexorable. Gold he must have, if it cost the life of every Indian in the 
island to procure it." — Life of Columbus, by Aaron Goodrich, p. 25a 

12 



266 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Many, in their despair, fled to the scarcely penc 
trable wilderness, and to caves in the mountains 
But the blood-hounds, with unerring scent, pursued 
them ; and they perished miserably. Parents saw 
their children emaciate with starvation, or torn to 
pieces by the merciless beasts. The subjects of 
Guacanagari fared no better than the rest. His 
countrymen hated him for refusing to unite with 
tnem against the detested Spaniards. Overwhelmed 
with the opprobrium of all the chiefs, and utterly 
impoverished by the extortion of the Spaniards, he 
endeavored to hide himself in a wild and sterile 
retreat, where he died, in neglect and misery, pitied 
by none.* 

In the meantime, Margarite and Bishop Boyle 
were busy in the Spanish court, striving to under- 
mine the reputation of Columbus. Their represen- 
tations were sustained by the malcontents who had 
accompanied them to Spain. The government 
appointed Juan Aguado, as commissioner, to go to 
Hispaniola, and investigate these serious charges. 
At the same time they issued a proclamation, grant- 
ing to any Spaniard the privilege of fitting out 
private expeditions for discovery and for traffic 
in the New World. This was very annoying to 
Columbus. He considered it a palpable violation 

♦ Charltvnix, ** Hist, de St Domingo,* lib. ii 



THE THIRD VOYAGE. 26; 

of the agreement which the sovereigns had made 
with him.* 

It is difficult to reconcile the enormous extortion 
which Columbus was practising upon the natives, 
with the intense solicitude he professed, and often 
manifested, for the conversion of the natives. But 
man is often a bundle of inconsistencies. Virtue and 
vice are frequently found in strange companionship. 
Herrera, in his History of the West Indies, writes: 

" Columbus, like a discreet man, being sensible 
that the wealth he sent to Spain must be his sup- 
port, pressed for gold ; though in other respects he 
was a good Christian, and feared God." 

Upon this strange statement, Mr. Goodrich com- 
ments very truthfully, *' This may be rightly inter- 
preted thus : Columbus was cruel, avaricious, dishon- 
est ; but in other respects, except where he failed, 
he was a good Christian." f 

The loving heart of Isabella had been deeply 
moved by the accounts she had received of the gen- 
tle and hospitable character of the islanders. She 
regarded them as intrusted by God to her peculiai 

* " The permission was granted without consulting the opinion oi 
wishes of the admiral. It was loudly complained of by him, as an 
infringement of his privileges, and as disturbing the career of regulai 
and well-organized discovery, by the licentious, and sometimes preda 
tory enterprises of reckless adventurers." — Irving's Life of Columbu-' 
rol. ii. p. 59. 

f '* Life of Columbus," by Aaron Goodrich, p 250, 



268 chr:stopher columbus. 

protection. When the five hundred slaves arrived 
an order was issued for their sale. Isabella coun- 
termanded the order; and summoned a council of 
the most learned men, and of ecclesiastics of tlic 
highest repute, to decide if such a deed could be jus 
tifiable in the sight of God. The council was prob- 
ably not agreed.* Isabella ordered that the captives 
should be returned to their own land. And she sent 
a special injunction that the natives should be treated 
with the utmost kindness. f But it was too late for 
her benevolence to rescue the island from those bil- 
lows of blood and woe which were surging over it. 

Juan Aguado sailed from Spain with four cara- 
vels, the latter part of August, 1495, and landed at 
Isabella in October. He was, intellectually and 
morally, a weak man. Though he had been the 
friend of Columbus, he was exceedingly puffed up 
with the brief authority with which he had been in- 
trusted. Assuming the most intolerable airs of supe- 
riority, he summoned Columbus, the acknowledged 
viceroy of all those realms, before him, as a crimi- 
nal, to be questioned, and to be acquitted or con- 
demned by his judge. The Spanish grandees were 

* The historian Munoz, after the most thorough research among 
documents relating to Spanish America, declares that he can find no 
evidence that the question was decided, 

f Letter of the Sovereigns to Fonseca, in Navarette's " CoUectioa 
tf Voyages," doc. 92. • 



THE THIRD VOYAGE. 269 

delighted with the thought that Columbus, the up- 
start foreigner, the " son of nobody," and who had 
ventured to exercise authority over the hidalgos of 
Spain, was about to be crushed.* 

Under these adverse circumstances, Columbus con- 
ducted himself with such dignity, with such punctilious 
courtesy and lofty self-respect, as greatly to embarrass 
his feeble foe. It is worthy of notice that no charge 
seems to have been brought against Columbus, at the 
court of Spain, for any oppression of the natives. It 
was said that Columbus had deceived the sovereigns, 
by extravagant descriptions of the wealth of islands 
which were steeped in poverty ; that he had forced 
excessive labor on the Spanish colonists ; and that 
he had heaped indignities on Spanish gentlemen of 
noble birth. The charges brought against him were 
unquestionably meritorious acts. The one great con- 
demning crime of Columbus, in plunging a million 
of people into unutterable woe, in his greed for gold, 
they were silent about. For the natives they had no 
pity. Columbus was continually interposing to pro 
tect them from the demoniac cruelty of the haughty 
nobles and the brutal s^ilors.f 

* " E->ery dastard spirit, who had any lurlcing ill will, any real or 
imaginary cause of complaint, now hastened to give it utterance '■ 
perceiving that, in vilifying theadm ral, he was gaining the friendship 
of Aguado." — Irving's Li/e of Columbus, vol. ii. p. 66. 

f Tire estimate that there were a million of inhabitants in llayti 



2/0 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

On the 14th of March, 1496, Columbus set saD 
for Spain. He took the captive Caonabo with him. 
The unhappy chief died on the way. After a long 
and very uncomfortable voyage, he landed at Cadiz, 
on the nth of June. The king and queen received 
him with kindness, which he had not anticipated 
They immediately wrote, congratulating^ him upon 
his safe return, and inviting him to court. No men- 
tion was made to him of the bitter accusations with 
which he had been assailed by Margarite and Boyle. 
Columbus, thus encouraged, proposed that he should 
be intrusted with six ships for another voyage of 
discovery. This was promised him. But the treas- 
ury was drained. The intrigues of men in office in- 
terposed delays. Columbus was doomed to infinite 
mortifications. Weary months lingered away, and 
nothing was accomplished. 

The king's counsellors were the enemies of Co- 
lumbus. The king himself, influenced by their in- 
cessant reproaches, began to regard him with an 
unfriendly eye. The queen alone remained faithfal 
to the admiral. Isabella caused an hereditary title 
of nobility to be conferred upon him, which, with his 
estates, was to descend to his heirs. The admiral, 
though deeply in debt, had not yet relinquished the 

W&& probably an exaggeration. Still such was the opinion of thi 

Spaniards. 



THE THIRD VOYAGE. 27 1 

idea that vast wealth was to be accumulated, as the 
result of his discoveries. Tn his will, he made very 
Hberal provision for his relatives ; gave marriage por- 
tions to the poor females of the family ; directed 
that the heirs of his title, and consequently of the 
bulk of his estates, should, in all time, do everything 
in their power to promote the prosperity of his 
native city of Genoa. And especially he ordered, 
that whoever should inherit his estates, should, from 
time to time, invest such money as he could spare, 
to form a permanent fund for a crusade to recover 
Jerusalem. 

A great reaction had taken place in public senti- 
ment, in reference to the New World. No one was. 
willing to engage in a voyage to islands, which all 
recent reports declared to be the abodes of sickness, 
poverty, and misery. The crown, to obtain seamen, 
resorted to the desperate measure of commuting the 
sentence of criminals sent to the galleys, to transpor- 
tation to the new settlements. All malefactors at 
large were offered pardon if they would surrender 
themselves, and embark for the colonies. It is said 
that this plan was proposed by the admiral."^ Colum- 
bus was, at one time, so discouraged and disgusted 
with the obstacles which his enemies were so suc- 
cessfully throwing in his way, that he was on the 

* Las Casas, " Hist. Ind.," lib. i. cap. 112, MS. 



2^2 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

point of abandoning altogether his enterprises of 
discovery. Gratitude to the queen alone induced 
him to persevere. The following incident we give, in 
the language of Washington Irving : 

" The insolence which Columbus had suffered 
from the minions of Fonseca, throughout this long- 
protracted time of preparation, harassed him to the 
last moment of his sojourn in Spain, and followed 
him even to the very water's edge. Among the 
worthless hirelings who annoyed him, the most noisy 
and presuming was one Ximeno Breviesca, treasurer 
or accountant of Fonseca. He had an impudent 
front, and an unbridled tongue, and, echoing the sen- 
timents of his patron, the bishop, had been loud in 
abuse of the admiral and his enterprises. The very 
day when the squadron was on the point of weighing 
anchor, Columbus was assailed by the impudence of 
this Ximeno, either on the shore or when about to 
embark, or on board of his ship which he had just 
entered. In the hurry of the moment he forgot his 
usual self-command ; his indignation, hitherto re- 
pressed, suddenly burst forth ; he struck the des- 
picable minion to the ground, and kicked him re- 
peatedly, venting, in this unguarded paroxysm, the 
accumulated griefs and vexations which had long 
rankled in his mind." * 

• Irving's " Life of Columbus," voL ii. p. 99. Las Casas gives • 



THE THIRD VOYAGE. 273 

This was a very unfortunate act. It is always a 
calamity for a man to lose his self-control and give 
place to anger. Columbus was very much asnamed 
of it, and, in a subsequent letter to the king and 
q.ieen, expressed his deep regret. But it left a 
very unfavorable impression on the minds of the 
sovereigns, and added intensity to the malignity 
of his foes. 

Columbus set sail from the port of San Lucar de 
Barrameda, for his third voyage of discovery, on the 
13th of May, 1498. Nearly two years had passed 
wearily away, as he had struggled in Spain against 
the innumerable obstacles which beset his path. 
His fleet consisted of six vessels, with two hundred 
men in addition to the sailors. On the 19th of June, 
he reached the Canary Islands. Thence he de- 
spatched three ships of his squadron directly to 
Hispaniola. With the three remaining vessels the 
adm.iral continued his cruise to the Cape de Verde 
Islands, which he reached on the 29th of June. 
After a short tarry, the sails were again spread. 

Day after day they pressed on, with a fair wind 

fcimilar narrative m his " Manuscript History of the Indies," lib. iii 
cap. 126. De Lorgues, in his " Christophe Colomb," livre ii. ch. ix., 
writes, " The patriarch of the ocean made a step tcwaid his insulter 
and, with his fist, dealt a blow on his impudent face. The miserable 
wretch fell down stunned. The admiral limited him'^eH" to g'ving a 
few kicks to this vi]e snarlei who fled in the midst o' footings ' 

12* 



274 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

until they found themselves beneath a vertical sun, 
A dead calm ensued. The sea was as glass ; the 
ships motionless. The air was like a furnace. The 
blazing sun melted the tar, blistered the decks, and 
opened the seams of the vessels. Exposure to the 
sun on deck could not be endured, and, below the 
decks the heat was as suffocating as that of an oven. 
All strength seemed to vanish. The superstitious 
sailors were appalled by the thought that they were 
approaching the fabled regions of volcanic heat, 
where there could be no human existence. The 
ships leaked so badly that it was deemed necessary 
to make some harbor as soon as possible. 

At length a gentle breeze sprang up, Columbus 
directed his course to the west. Day after day 
passed, and no signs of land appeared. Even the 
salt meat became putrid. The hoops of the wine 
and water casks burst. Distress and anxiety op- 
pressed all minds. But one water cask, on the 31st 
of July, remained in each ship, The prospect before 
them was dreadful : that all would perish on that 
burning sea. 

At mid-day, a sailor at one of the mast-heads 
gav^e the joyful shout of land. Three mountain 
peak? pierced the clouds. With characteristic de- 
votional feeling Columbus named the island La 
Trinidad or The Trinity. As he ran along the 



THE THIRD VOYAGE. 2/5 

coast, in search of a harbor, he was delighted with 
the beauty and fertility of the island. Pleasant 
villages and highly cultivated fields were scattered 
along the shore. He ran along the western coast 
of the island, in what is now called the Gulf of Paria • 
on his left was distinctly seen the low coast of South 
America, which he supposed to be an island. 

This was the first view Columbus had of the 
continent of America. He called it the island of 
Zeta, and estimated that it was about sixty miles 
in extent. Sebastian Cabot, on the 24th of June, 
1497, had discovered North America. Occasionally 
Columbus landed. The natives were very friendly. 
He encountered essentially the same scenes he had 
witnessed on the island of Cuba. The country grew 
more and more populous. A vast number of canoes 
crowded with natives, came off to the ships. Vari 
ous points he named ; but those names are nov» 
forgotten. His ship-stores were nearly exhausted 
and it became necessary for him to hasten to His 
paniola. He was suffering severely from the gout 
And the intense heat, with incessant fatigue, sleep- 
lessness, and watchings had almost deprived him of 
sight. Sailing in a northerly direction, he discovered 
the two islands, now called Tobago and Grenada. 
Several other islands he passed, which he could not 
stop to explore 



2^0 CHRISTOPHER COLUxMBUS. 

At one point, where he landed, he found Indiani 
fishing for pearls. He purchased three pounds' 
weight of them. Some were very large and beauti- 
ful. The malady of his eyes became very alarming. 
He therefore pressed forward, with all sail, and 
reached Hispaniola on the 19th of August. The 
meeting of Columbus with his brothers was very 
affectionate. But Columbus, exhausted, sick, and 
careworn, seemed bodily but the wreck of his formei 
self. His indomitable spirit remained unbroken. 

Columbus hoped for repose. He found none. 
During his absence Bartholomew Columbus had 
remained in command, with the title of Adelantado 
Leaving his brother Diego in charge at Isabella, he 
proceeded, in search of gold, to the south side of the 
island. He built a fortress, which he called San 
Christoval, but which others called the Golden 
Tower. The Indians were hostile. They brought 
no food. There was no end to trouble. Robberies 
and massacres ensued. A formidable insurrection 
of the Spaniards was with difficulty quelled. The 
once peaceful and happy island had become a 
Pandemonium. 

Bartholomew captured three hundred natives, 
who were accused of opposing their oppressors. 
They were all sent, manacled in irons, to Spain, to 
be sold as slaves The jurists and theologians had 



THE THIRD VCAGE. 2'JJ 

decided that it was just to enslave prisoners of war 
Fortresses were built. Armed bands of Spaniards^ 
with their accompanying allies, the blood-hounds, 
scoured the island in all directions, to overawe the 
natives. No one can deny that, through all these 
cruel scenes, the Indians manifested far more of the 
spirit of the Christian religion than did theSpaniards» 

There was a very delightful region of Hayti, in a 
remote part of the island, called Xaraguay. It was 
far famed for its beauty, its fertility, the loveliness 
of its females, and the urbanity of all its inhabitants. 
Bartholomew, while unrelenting in extorting taxes, 
wished for friendly relations with the oppressed 
people. With a strong band of steel-clad warriors, 
he visited the chief Behechio. As the Spaniards 
approached the beautiful village, which the intolera- 
ble taxation had not yet reached, thirty females, of 
the cacique's household, came to meet them. The 
only dress of the young girls was a wreath of flowers 
around the forehead. The matrons wore small 
aprons of embroidered cotton. All waved branches 
of the palm tree, and came forward with dances and 
songs of welcome. 

These females were very lovely in person ; their 
forms being as exquisite as a Grecian artist could 
chisel from the marble. Living mainly on fruit, and 
without toil, their skin was of velvety softness, and 



2'S CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

their complexion even more fair than that generally 
of the Spanish brunette. These innocent daughters 
of Eve had no more conception of any want of deli- 
cacy, in their destitution of costume, than has the 
European lady, who exposes her face unveiled. 

The widow of Caonabo resided there, with her 
brother Behechio. She \\-as a woman of mar\-ellous 
beauty. Her name was Anacaona. She was reclin- 
ing on a palanquin, and was borne by six strong 
Indians. Her only dress \%'as the embroidered 
apron, and wreaths oi flowers around her forehead, 
neck, and arms. Bartholomew and six of his princi- 
pal cavaliers were lodged in the house of Behechio. 
The rest of the company were entertained by the 
subordinate chiefs. All were provided with ham- 
mocks of matted cotton for beds. 

For two days the Spaniards remained in the vil. 
lage, receiving, from this hospitable people, ever)» 
possible attention. They were abundantly feasted, 
and various games and festivities were engaged in 
for their amusement. One of their games was siiii« 
lar to the gladiatorial shows of the ancient Romans. 
Two squadrons of naked Indians, armed with bows 
and arrows, approached each other in a real fight. 
Four were killed. Many were wounded. Shouts 
of applause arose, as from the lips of Roman senators 
and matrons, when, in the Coliseum, the arena rar 



THE THIRD VOYAGE. 279 

red with blood. The contest would probably have 
been much more sanguinary had not Bartholomew 
begged that the game might cease. ^ 

In requital for all this kindness, the Adelantado 
informed the cacique that he came to take him and 
his people under the protection of the all-powerful 
Spanish sovereigns, and to receive from them the 
tribute which the other chiefs of the island paid. As 
there was no gold in that region, he imposed a tax, to 
be paid in cotton, hemp, and cassava bread. There was 
no excuse whatever for this despotic act. It was as 
unjustifiable as any deed of robbery perpetrated by 
a band of buccaneers. The cacique was compelled 
to submit to the hand of resistless power. He knew 
the doom which had fallen upon other parts of the 
island, and hoped, by excessive kindness and hospi- 
tality, to avert that doom from his own subjects.f 

* Las Casas, " Hist. Ind.," torn. i. cap. 113. 

f As Mr. Irving recognizes all these facts, it is with surprise that 
we read the following comments from his pen. " Thus by amicable 
aiid sagacious management, one of the most extensive provinces of 
the island was brought into cheerful subjection ; and had not the wise 
policy of the Adelantado been defeated by the excesses of worthless 
ind turbulent men, a large revenue might have been collected with- 
out any resource to violer.ce or oppression. In all instances, the'ft 
simple people appear to have been extremely tractable, and meekly 
even cheerfully, to have resigned their rights to the white men, when 
treated with gentleness and humanity." — Life of Columbus, vol. ii 
p. 145. 

When the highway robbei presents his pistol at your breast, and 
says. * My dear sir, you will confer a great favor upon me if you wiD 



28c CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Misery reigned at Isabella. Sickness prevailed 
Provisions and medicines were exhausted. All were 
quairelling and murmuring. The Indians had aban- 
doned the region, and were devouring roots and herbs, 
in rugged mountain retreats, where even the blood- 
hounds found it difficult to search them out. There 
were frequent insurrections of the natives. Awful 
was the cruelty with which the helpless and despair- 
ing people were punished. Villages were laid in 
ashes. Shrieking victims, pursued by mounted and 
mail-clad warriors, were hewn down by the sabres of 
the Spaniards. Women and children were torn limb 
from limb by ferocious dogs. Anarchy reigned. 
Woe was everywhere. The beautiful island of Hayti 
had been converted, by man's depravity, in a few 
short months, into an abode of wretchedness where 
scarcely a joy was to be found. 

be so kind as to deliver to me your purse. 1 nope you will not im- 
pose upon me the disagreeable necessity of shooting you ; " — thf 
politeness of his address do€s not diminish the atrocity of hi.' crime^ 



CHAPTER XI. 
The Return to Spam, and the Fourth Voy age. 

The revolt of. Roldan — Conciliatory proposals of Columbus — Du 
plicity of Columbus — The expedition of Ojeda — Anarchy at 
Hayti — The fortresses — Waning of popularity — Bobadilla ap- 
pointed commissioner — Measures of Bobadilla — Columbus in 
chains — His reception by the King and Queen. Preparations 
for a fourth voyage — The outward voyage — Reception of Colura* 
bus at San Domingo — The tornado — lie reaches Honduras — 
Cruise along the coast — Conduct of the Spanish sailors — The 
settlement destroyed — Escape to Jamaica. 

A VILE man, by the name of Francis Roldan, had 
formed a conspiracy against the government of Co- 
lumbus. With a gang of his followers, he had gone 
to Xaraguay, where he was plundering the people, 
trampling upon all their rights, and rioting in every 
species of excess. While thus engaged, three of the 
caravels from Spain, whose crews were composed of 
convicts from the state prisons, driven westward by 
the currents, cast anchor in those waters. Almost in 
a body, they deserted the ships to join the congenial 
villains on the shore. They were lured by the ac- 
count of the life of abundance and indulgence in 
which the miscreants were revelling. 

These desperate men landed with their swords, 



282 CHRISTOPHER CO..UMBUS. 

cross bows, lances, arquebuses, and other military 
stores. Columbus, when he learned these facts, was 
greatly troubled. Low as was, in some respects, his 
lense of justice, he was, in integrity and humanity, 
far in advance of most of his associates. I'his law- 
less horde was roving at large, and living in the most 
revolting profligacy. The authority of Columbus 
was set at utter defiance. The rebellion was assum 
ing formidable proportions. Many of the disaffected 
joined the rebels. Columbus had not sufficient 
strength to give them battle. By some returning 
ships he transmitted to the sovereigns an account of 
the rebellion. In this letter he begged that more 
ecclesiastics might be sent out, for the conversion of 
the Indians ; and that, for two years longer, the Span- 
iards might be permitted to employ the natives as 
slaves.*^ 

The ships having sailed, Columbus again turned 
his attention to the rebels. He wrote to Roldan in 
the most conciliatory terms, and entreated him, for 
the sake of his own reputation, and for the common 
good not to persist in his insubordination. A pass- 
port v;as sent, assuring the safety of those who might 

* • Six hundred Indians, who had been made prisoners because 
Lheir cacique had failed to pay tribute, were at that time confined on 
board five sh'ps, to be sent to Spain as slaves ; the ships only waiting 
till ColumbMs should be able to write that affairs in the island were 
quiet." — Life of Columbus, by Aaron Goodrich, p. 365. 



THE FOURTH VOVAGE. 283 

Approach the admiral to confer with him. The 
demands of Roldan and his confederates were arro- 
gant and insolent. At length, after much and intricate 
diplomacy terms of capitulation were agreed upon. 
Roldan and his confederates were furnished with two 
ships, to return to Spain, with certificates of good 
character. The ships were to sail in October, 1499. 
The insurgents took many slaves with them. Ac- 
cording to Herrera, Columbus was guilty of duplicity, 
which, however characteristic of the times, merits 
severe condemnation. 

While giving Roldan and his adherents certifi- 
cates of good character, he wrote privately to the 
king and queen, saying that these certificates he had 
been compelled to give, in order to remove the 
wretches from the island ; that they were entirely 
false ; that the men had been guilty of the most 
atrocious crimes of robbery and murder ; he there- 
fore urged that, immediately upon their arrival, they 
should be arrested, stripped of their ill-gotten treas- 
ures, and severely punished.* 

The situation of Columbus was indeed pitiable. 
He was sick and in constant pain. Conspiracies were 
multiplying against him. The haughtiest grandees 

* Herrera, " Hist. Ind.," decad. i. lib. iii. cap. 16. Washington 
Irving, nfter his careful researches, feels constrained to accept thii 
tuelnncholy statement. — Life of Columbus, vol. ii. p. 7r° 



^«4 ' CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

this world has ever seen, the hidalgos of Spain, were 
treating him with scorn. He was contemptuously 
called the * upstart foreigner." His virtues were, in 
the eyes of the profligate Spaniards, the occasion for 
envenomed denunciation. There was no treachery 
of which his foes were not capable. They occupied 
the most important stations in church and state ; and 
with the vilest libels, were endeavoring to alienate 
the sovereigns from him. He stood alone, almost 
without a friend. In all Spain, scarcely a man could 
be found whose condition was more to be commis- 
erated. 

In fact, Roldan, having extorted from Columbus 
about what terms he pleased, decided to remain on 
the Island, while most of his accomplices returned to 
Spain. He was invested with high authority, took 
possession of a large extent of territory, which he 
cultivated by slaves, and, regardless of God or judg- 
ment, said to his soul, *' Eat, drink, and be merr\\" 

The chivalric, reckless Ojeda had gone back to 
Spain. Aided by several wealthy speculators, he had 
succeeded in fitting out four ships, at Seville, or a 
private enterprise of exploration. A Florentine mer- 
chant, Amerigo Vespucci, whose name was subsje- 
quently attached :o the whole New World, accom- 
panied the expedition. The little fleet sailed in 
May, 1499. They touched at the Caribbee Islands. 



THE FOURTH VOTAGE. 285 

After a fierce battle with the natives, they nade 
many captives, whom they carried away to be sold 
as slaves Thence, being in need of supplies, they 
Bailed to Hispaniola. They anchored, at the west- 
ern extremity of the island, on the 5th of Sep- 
tember. 

Columbus was much disturbed by this invasion 
of what he considered as his exclusive realms. He 
sent Roldan and some of his desperadoes on an ex- 
pedition to thwart the plans of Ojeda, and arrest 
him if possible. The two young cavaliers were 
equally unprincipled, crafty, and reckless. Roldan, 
with two caravels, and twenty-five resolute, well- 
armed followers, set out in pursuit of the adventurer. 
The two men met. Ojeda exhibited his license for 
the voyage, from the king and queen, and that a part 
of the profits were to accrue to the crown. This 
silenced opposition. The haughty cavalier also said 
that Columbus was entirely in disgrace at the Span- 
ish court, and that it was his intention soon to visit 
the admiral, that he might communicate some intel- 
ligence intended for his ear alone. 

With this report Roldan returned to Columbus. 
The admiral was greatly troubled. It was evident 
that he was losing favor at court, and that the sov- 
ereigns were invading his most important preroga- 
tives. He waited some time for the promised visit 



286 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

frorr. Ojeda. But the adventurer had no idea of 
approaching the admiral. Roldan was again sent to 
watch the movements of Ojeda. They were both 
treacherous men, equal in duplicity. Both alike 
robbed and oppressed the natives. Ojeda cruised 
along the coast of Hayti, landing at remote points, 
and kidnapping the people, until he had filled his 
ships with slaves. He then returned to Cadiz, where 
they were sold in the slave market."^ 

The authority of Columbus, on the island was 
virtually at an end. Those obeyed him who were 
disposed to do so. Other bold and reckless spirits 
wandered here and there at will. It was ea^y to 
elude pursuit. Some ingratiated themselves with 
the natives. Some, organizing themselves in strong 
bands, robbed and enslaved them. The kind of 
civilization and Christianity which the Spaniards had 
brought to Hayti, had sunk the island to the lowest 
depths of misery. The detail of the scenes which 
ensued present a disgusting and painful record of 
treachery, cruelty, and crime. Columbus struggled 
heroically against these storms of adversity. Above 
all others, with the exception perhaps of Las Casas, 
he advocated principles of justice and humanity, an J 
was the friend of the natives. And yet it is n^t to 
be forgotten that the good Las Casas said, * We 

* Las Casas, lib. i. cap. it 3. 



THE FOURTH VOYAGE. 28; 

ought not to enslave these poor Haytiens Let us 
go and kidnap the Africans." Neither is it to be 
fofgotten, in our denunciation of these men how 
recently men, women, and children were bought and 
sold in the slave marts of America, and how many 
professed teachers of Christianity proclaimed that 
this was right in the sight of God. 

Columbus was at Fort Concepcion. His spirit 
was harassed and exasperated by the atrocities which 
everywhere met his eye, and which he had no power 
to prevent. A wretch, by the name of Mexica, 
organized a conspiracy to assassinate the admiral. 
Traversing the island, he engaged in his service a 
large number of vagabond Spaniards, who were eager 
to embark in any desperate deeds. Adrian de 
Mexica had been one of the ringleaders of Roldan's 
party. His conduct had been so outrageous, that 
Columbus did not admit him to the general amnesty, 
but banished him from the island. Roldan had 
allowed him to return. 

A deserter brought Columbus news ol the con- 
spiracy, upon the eve of its execution. Not a 
moment was to be lost. Taking with him a party 
^f ten trusty and resolute men, he captured Mexica 
by surprise. He was tried, and condemned to be 
hung. Mr Irving writes, giving Herrera as his 
authority; 



288 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

" He ordered Mexica to be hanged on the top of 
the fortress. The latter entreated to be allowed to 
confess himself previous to execution. A priest was 
summoned. The miserable Mexica, who had been 
so arrogant ir rebellion, lost all courage at the 
approach of death. He delayed to confess, begin- 
ning and pausing, and recommencing and again 
hesitating, as if he hoped, by whiling away time, to 
give a chance for rescue. Instead of confessing his 
own sins he accused others of criminality, who were 
known to be innocent ; until Columbus, incensed at 
this falsehood and treachery, and losing all patience, 
in his mingled indignation and scorn, ordered the 
dastard wretch to be swung off from the battle- 
ments."* 

The remaining conspirators were pursued, with 
great vigor, and several others were captured and 
hung. 

There were now six quite important fortresses 

* Irving's ''Life of Colambus," vol. ii. p. 235. 

Mr. Goodrich relates this incident in the following language, which 
we do not find sustained by any authority. " Adrian de Mexica was 
in his power. He determined to put him to death, and thus intimi- 
date all who should dare to oppose his wishes, or remonstrate against 
his tyranny. Without legal authority, and with scarcely the form of 
a trial, Mexica was condemned to instant death. 

"Some writers represent Mexica as delaying death as long as 
possible, by prolonging his confession, at which Columbus, becoming 
indignant, ordered him to be thrown from the battleitents. But, 
feom all we can learn, he met hie fate fearlessly, and, in that last 



THE FOURTH VOVAGE. 289 

Upon thv. island, forming a chain of military posts, 
which hf Ll the natives in abject servitude. Twenty- 
seven miles from Isabella was the fortress of Espe- 
ranza ; e*ghteen leagues beyond was Santa Catalina ; 
about twelve miles farther the gloomy walls of Mag- 
dalena frowned. Here the town of Santiago was 
subsequently founded. About fifteen miles farther, 
in the midst of the fertile and populous plains of the 
Vega, Fort Concepcion was reared. It was within a 
mile and a half of a large Indian town, over which 
an illustrious cacique, called Guarionex, reigned. 
Isabella was left with only a sufficient garrison to 
hold the place. Columbus moved from point to 
point, making the fortress of San Domingo, on the 
south of the island, his principal residence. 

In the year 1849, T. S. Hennekin, Esq., visited 
this region. We quote the following from his ex- 
ceedingly interesting descriptive letter : 

solemn moment accused Columbus of the crimes which had brought 
misery upon the island. The latter, furious at being unable to con- 
quer the spirit of his victim, even in death, in an outburst of passiou 
similar to that he gave vent to in Cadiz, toward Fonseca's trea^urei 
kicked the manacled prisoner from the hii.4a walls of the fortress int« 
the fosse belcw." — Life of Columbus, by Aaron Goodrich, p. 270. 

Washington Irving wrote, in his edition of 1829, " Columbus 
ordered the dastardly wretch to be flung headlong from the battle- 
ments." Judge Goodrich correctly quotes this. But Irving, in a sub- 
sequent edition, changed this to, ordered the wretch to be '* swung off." 
As I had access to this edition, I suggested that Judge Goodrich, 
though doubtless unintentionally, had not correctly quoted IrviDg. 



290 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUb. 

*• Fort Concepcion is situated at the foot of a hill 
now called Santo Cerro. It is constructed of bricks> 
and is almost as entire at the present day as when 
just finished. It stands in the gloom of an exuberant 
forest, which has invaded the scene of former bustle 
and activity; a spot once considered of great import 
ance, and surrounded by swarms of intelligent beings. 

"What has become of the countless multitudes 
this fortress was intended to awe ? Not a trace of 
them remains, excepting in the records of history. 
The silence of the tomb prevails where their habita- 
tions responded to their songs and dances. A few 
indigent Spaniards, living in miserable hovels, scat- 
tered widely apart in the bosom of the forest, are 
now the sole occupants of this once fruitful and 
beautiful region." 

Thus far Ferdinand had found his possessions in 
the New World a bill of expense and not a source 
of income. This greatly disappointed him. His 
court was besieged by disappointed and repining 
men, who were bitter in their denunciations of 
Columbus, and who were clamoring for large sums 
of money, which they averred that Columbus owed 
them. These universal and incessant complaints 
began to produce an impression even upon the mind 
of Isabella. The letters of Columbus showed too 
plainly that the island was in a state of lamentable* 



THE FOURTH VOYAGS 29 1 

disorder. This seemed to indicate that whatevef 
mie^ht be the purity of the motives of the admiral, 
he was deficient in administrative ability. 

Ferdinand was a cautious and jealous Spaniard. 
It had ever been some annoyance to him to submit 
Spanish colonies to the government of Geneose ad- 
venturers. The lines of nationality were then very 
distinctly drawn. The epithet o{ foreigner was gen- 
erally a title of reproach. The pro-slavery tenden- 
cies of Columbus were very annoying to the queen. 
When the ships with the Roldan insurgents returned 
to Spain, they brought six or seven hundred slaves. 
Many of these Columbus had granted to these men 
by capitulation ; others they had stolen on their own 
account. Among these captives there were a num 
ber of beautiful young females, daughters of chiefs, 
whom the profligates had torn from their homes. 
For all these wrongs, Isabella, not unjustly, deemed 
Columbus in a great degree responsible. He was 
viceroy of all these realms, and was virtually invested 
with absolute power. 

The queen's sympathies were outraged. She re- 
garded the simple-hearted natives of these wide 
realms as placed peculiarly under her protection. In- 
dignantly she exclaimed, " What power had the admi 
ral to give away my vassals ? " * 

* Las Casas, lib. * 



292 CHRlSTOrilER COLLMBUS. 

She manifested her extreme displeasure, not only 
bv ordering all these Indians to be sent back to theii 
friends, but also directed that those who had previ- 
ously been transmitted to Spain by the admiral sliould 
be sought out and returned. Columbus felt this re- 
proof very keenly. It was decisive evidence that his 
popularity at the court was on the wane. Unfor- 
tunately, just at this time, before Columbus had been 
informed of the strong feelings of Isabella, a letter 
came from him urging the continuance oi Indian slav- 
er}-, as an important source of revenue to the crown. 

New troubles had sprung up between Columbus 
and Roldan. The bold Spanish cavalier, who rallied 
around him the haughty hidalgos and the lowest 
desperadoes, was a formidable opponent. Columbus 
requested that some one might be sent out as an 
umpire to decide between them. This afforded Fer- 
dinand the pretext to act, which he had for some 
time sought. 

One of the highest military and religious officers 
in the royal household, Don Francisco de Bobadilla, 
was appointed on this momentous mission. It is, 
however, evident that the mission u-as intended 
against those who were in rebellion. We read, in the 
instructions : 

" We order you to ascertain who and what per- 
sons they were who rose against the said admiral 



THE FOURTH VOYAGE. 293 

and our magistracy, and for what cause , and what 
robberies and other injuries they have committed ; 
and furthermore, to extend your inquiries to all 
other matters relating to the premises. And the in< 
formation obtained, and the truth known, whom- 
soever you find culpable, arrest their persons and 
sequestrate their effects. And thus taken, proceed 
against them and the absent, both civilly and crimi- 
nally, and impose and inflict such fines and punish- 
ments as you may think fit." 

These powers were manifestly given to punish 
those who were in rebellion against the authority of 
Columbus. It was stated in the preamble, that an 
alcalde,* and certain other persons, were resisting the 
authority of the admiral, and therefore the commission 
was intrusted with special powers to restore order. 
The royal letter giving these instructions was dated 
March 21, 1499. Two months afterward, on the 21st 
of May, a letter was sent to the hidalgos and public 
functionaries on the island, informing them of the 
authority thus conferred on Bobadilla. Enlarging 
upon the absolute power with which he was invested 
to quell the disturbances, it was written: 

** It is our will that if the said Commander Fran- 
Cisco de Bobadilla should think it necessary for our ser 
vice, and the purpose of justice, that any cavaliers, 01 

• Alcalde ; 9 magistrate, a judge among the Spaniards, 



294 CHRISTOPHEP COLUMBUS. 

other persons, who are at present in these islands, or 
may arrive there, should leave them, and not return 
and reside in them, and that they should come and 
present themselves before us, he may command it in 
our name and compel them to depart. And whom- 
soever he th'js commands, we hereby order, that im- 
mediately, without waiting to inquire or consult us, 
or to receive from us any other letter or command, 
and without interposing appeal or supplication, they 
obey whatever he shall say and order, under the 
penalties he shall impose on our part."* 

On the 23d of August, 1500, Bobadilla landed at 
the port of San Domingo. Columbus was then at 

* Mr. Irving states that there was another order of the same date, 
addressed to Columbus, as " Admiral of the Ocean Sea," directing 
him and his brothers to surrender the fortress, ships, houses, arms, 
ammunition, cattle, and all other royal property, into the hands of Bo- 
badilla, as governor, under the penalty of the punishment to which 
those subject themselves, who refuse to surrender fortresses and other 
trusts, when commanded by their sovereigns." 

There must be some mistake here. This is an unconditional de- 
position of Columbus without trial. Mr. Irving does not quote the 
Older, neither does he state where it may be found. I find, in the 
letters of Columbus, no allusion to so cruel and extraordinary an ex 
pulsion of the admiral from his high offices. Mr. Goodrich, who is 
fcry thorough in his researches, alludes to some order about sur- 
rendering the fortresses, found in Navarette, "Colec. Dip.'* v. ii. p. 
266, but he does no', quote the order, neither does he state undei 
what conditions the surrender was to be made. If such order were 
given, it can scarcely be doubted that the surrender was to be made, 
only in case, after careful investigation, it should be found that t'w 
disorders in the island rendered this absolutely necessary. 



THE FOURTH VOYAGE. 295 

Fort Concepcion. His brother Diego was at the 
sea-pjrt, San Domingo. Bobadilla immediately as- 
sumed that he had superseded Columbus in the 
government of the island, and that his authority 
was supreme. All the disaffected hilariously rallied 
around him. With the armed force he brought with 
him, and the cordial sympathy of all the disaffected 
he easily took possession of the place. 

Columbus was deposed, untried, and without even 
a charge being brought against him. It seemed t^ 
be the special desire of Bobadilla to degrade the 
admiral. He took up his residence at the house o^ 
Columbus, and seized his arms, gold, plate, horses, 
and all his letters and manuscripts, both public and 
private. To win popular applause, be issued a de 
cree, authorizing, for a period of twenty years, any 
one to search for gold on his own account, paying 
one-eleventh to the government, instead of one-third, 
as heretofore. 

Instead of summoning Roldan, and those who 
were in rebellion against Columbus, to appear before 
hin",, he treated them with the utmost civility, that 
he might secure their aid in his usurpation. While 
Columbus was in this state of great perplexity and 
distress, the following laconic and somewhat obscure 
letter from the sovereigns was presented him : 

** Don Christopher Columbus, our Admiral of the 



296 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Ocean. We have commanded Comendador Francis 

de Bobadilla, the bearer of this, that he speak to you, 

on our part, some things which he will tell you. We 

pray you give him faith and credence, and act accord-- 

ingly. 

" I THE King ; I the Queen. ' 

The admiral at once decided to yield promptly to 
all the requirements of Bobadilla, until he could 
accurately ascertain the decisions of the sovereigns. 
Bobadilla seized Diego Columbus, and confined him 
in chains on board one of the caravels. He then 
sent officers to seize Columbus, put him in irons, and 
imprison him in one of the cells of the fortress of San 
Domingo. The dignity with which Columbus con- 
ducted himself in these emergencies has won the 
admiration generally, even of his enemies.^ 

A vast amount of testimony against Columbus 
was gathered from the rebels, to be forwarded to 
the Spanish court. The settlement at San Domingo 
swarmed with these miscreants.f 

* Las Casas writes, " Hist, Ind." lib. i. cap. 180. "A graceless 
and shameless cook riveted the fetters." Upon this statement Mr. 
Goodrich comments, " When we find his own domestics, who oved 
place and living to him, and who would natuially be supposed tc 
legret his downfall, rejoicing instead, we cannot but believe the man 
to have been thoroughly contemptible. The ' graceless cook,' riveting 
the fetters, militates far more, we take it, against the personal cliarac- 
ter of Columbus, than of his culinary menial." — Goodrich's Ltfe of 
Columbus, p. 283. 

\ " It was a perfect jubilee of triumphant villainy and dastarJ 



THE FOURTH VOYAGE. 29; 

Early in October, Columbus, manacled like the 
vilest culprit, was led through the streets to the ship. 
The jeers of the rabble pursued him. Alonzo de 
Villejo, a man alike noble in rank and character, was 
nitrusted with the charge of the prisoners. Both he 
and the captain of the ship, Andreas Martin, treated 
the admiral, on the voyage, with the most profound 
respect. Gladly would they have struck off his fet- 
ters. But the admiral would not consent. He 
proudly said : 

'* No ; their majesties commanded me, by letter, 
to submit to whatever Bobadilla should order in their 
name. By their authority he has put upon me these 
chains. I will v/ear them until they shall order them 
to be taken off; and I will preserve them afterward as 
relics and memorials of the reward of my services." * 

On the voyage he wrote an admirable letter, to 

be exhibited to the sovereigns, v;hich he addressed 

to Dona Juana de la Torres, a member of the royal 

household, and a special favorite of the queen. 

Upon the arrival of the ship at Cadiz, tliis letter was 

immediately forwarded, and was presented to Isa- 

tnalice. Every base sp rit, which had been awed into obsequiousness 
by Columbus and his brothers, when in power, now started up to 
revenge itself upon them when in chains." — Irving's Life of Columbus, 
Tol. ii. p. 266. 

■* He did so. His son Fernando writes, " I saw them alway» 
Lang.ng in lis cabinet ; and he requested that when he ditd, tbey 
might be buried with him." — Hist del Almiratiie, cap- 86. 



29^ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

bella. She read it with the deepest emotion and 
sympathy, The king and queen were alike indig- 
nant in view of the treatment Columbus had received. 
I'hey sent orders that he and his brothers should 
Immediately be set at liberty, and treated with all 
distinction. They unitedly wrote to Columbus, ex- 
pressing their grief in view of his sufferings, assuring 
him of their gratitude and affection, inviting him to 
court, and sending him two thousand ducats to meet 
his expenses.* 

On the 17th of December, Columbus, richly 
dressed and attended by a suitable retinue, presented 
himself before their majesties at Grenada. The 
queen, as she greeted him, burst into tears. This 
touched the heart of the heroic old man, as no sever^ 
ity could have moved him. He fell upon his knees, 
and for a few moments was entirely overcome, weep- 
ing, and sobbing convulsively. Columbus was as- 
sured of their utter condemnation of the course pur- 
sued by Bobadilla, and that he should be immediately 
dismissed from command. They did not condescend 
to pay the slightest regard to the accusations which 
Bobadilla had sent home against him. They took 
ever^' opportunity publicly to manifest their favor, 
and assured him also that his grievances should be 

* Mr, Irving says that this sum was equivalent to eight thousand 
five hundrec: cjid thirty-eight dollars of the present day. 



THE FOURTH VOYAGE. 299 

redressed, his property restored, and that he should 
be reinstated in all his former authority. 

Under the sway of Bobadilla, every man did what 
seemed right in his own eyes. Las Casas gives an 
appalling account of the wrongs inflicted upon the 
Indians. The vilest wretches assumed the air of 
nobles, robbed the chiefs of their daughters, sur- 
rounded themselves with retainers like Oriental 
princes, and compelled the natives to carry them in 
palanquins. They thought no more of killing a 
native than of killing a bird. 

As soon as possible, Don Nicholas de Ovando 
was sent out to supersede Bobadilla. But he had no 
power to control the fierce spirits who were rioting 
there. Under his administration there was no im- 
provement in the state of affairs. He was especially 
directed to make amendment to Columbus and his 
brothers for all their losses. 

In the meantime preparations were being made 
for another voyage of Columbus. Expeditions fitted 
out from other courts, and private enterprises, had 
greatly extended discoveries in the Nev World, 
Vasca de Gama had doubled the Cape of Good Hope, 
and was enriching Portugal with the products of the 
east. It was thought that there must be a strait 
somewhere near the Isthmus of Darien, which con- 
nected the Altantic with the Pacific ocean. Coluni 



30O CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

bus was to sail in search of this strait. After man]? 
of those delays, for which courts are prov^erbial. the 
fleet of four small vessels was ready to sail. The 
largest of the caravels was of but seventy tons : th? 
smallest of fifty. The whole company amounted to 
one hundred and fiftv men.* 

Columbus was now an aged man. It is supposed 
that he had attained his sixty-sixth year. His mind 
was exhausted with anxiety and care, and many 
bodily infirmities bent his once powerful frame. But 
his intellectual forces seemed tireless. Columbus 
was accompanied on this v^oyage by his brother 
Bartholomew, and his younger son, Fernando. 

On the 9th of May, 1502, the fleet sailed from 
Cadiz. Touching on the coast of Morocco, and at 
the Grand Canar\', the little squadron reached one 
of the Caribbee Islands, probably Martinica,t on the 
15th of June. Thence a sail of thirty miles brought 

* The wearv' heart of Columbus \va> much cheered by receiving 
the following letter from Ferdinand ; 

" You ought to be convinced of our displeasure at your captivity ; 
for we lost not a moment in setting you free. Your innocence is 
well known. You are aware of the consideration and friendship vi.it 
which we have treated you. The favors you have received fiom us 
shall not be the last that you will receive. \Ve assure to you ycuc 
privileges, and are desirous that you and your children may enjoy 
them. We offer to confirm them to you a.jain, and to put your eldest 
son in possession of all your offices whenever you wish. — Las Casas 
ffist. Ind. lib. ii. cap. 4. 

\ Navarette supposes it to have been the island now callec" 
3anta Lu-ix 



THE FOURTH VOYAGE, 3OI 

them to Dominica. Passing Santa Cruz, and the 
south side of Pcrto Rico, he was constrained, con- 
tiary to his original intention and the instructions he 
had received, to make a harbor at the port of San 
Domingo. He explained this necessity in a letter 
to the sovereigns. 

Don Ovando, who had succeeded Bobadilla, was 
then in command. For some reason not fully ex- 
plained, Ovando refused to allow the admiral to take 
refusre in that harbor. Las Casas intimates that the 
town was crowded with the foes of Columbus, and 
he feared that he might meet with violence from 
those vile and desperate men. A fleet was just 
ready to put to sea, for Spain, when Columbus 
arrived. It contained a very large quantity of gold, 
which, by measures of extreme cruelty, had been 
wrested from the natives, Bobadilla had hoped thus 
to purchase the favor of the sovereigns. It was the 
richest fleet, in cargo, which had ever left the islands. 
There was one immense nugget, which an Indian 
woman had found, which was said to be the largest 
piece of virgin gold which had ever been discovered. 
Its estimated value was over two thousand dollars. 

The morning when the fleet was about to sail 
was one of extraordinary^ serenity. Not a breath of 
air moved the leaves of the trees, and the ocean was 
like a mirror But the experienced eye of Columbue 



302 CHRISTOPHER COLL'MtUS. 

foresaw the approach of one of those terrible tonia- 
does which often wreck the tropical seas. Ht there- 
fore entreated the governor to delay the sailii'.g of 
the fleet for a few days. His warning was scornfully 
rejected. A gentle breeze sprung up. All sails were 
spread, and the squadron entered upon its voyage. 

Columbus, confident that a storm was brewing., 
and grieved at being thus driven, in distress, from 
the harbor he had discovered, p-omptly sought 
secure anchorage where he could safely ride out the 
approaching storm. The fleet, returning to Spain, 
had been but a few hours at sea. when the tornado 
burst upon it with unexampled fury. The ship 
which conve\ed Bobadilla and Roldan, with a large 
amount of gold, including the celebrated nugget, 
was engulfed in the wa\-es. and e\'ery soul on board 
perished. Many other ships foundered, and \\ere 
heard o( no more. A few succeeded, in a shattered 
condition, in returning to San Domingo. Only on*" 
reached Spain. And it is remarkable that that one 
v/as the weakest of all the fleet, and that it contained 
the property of the admiral. 

ColumbuS; having anchored in a wild and unfre- 
quented bay, witnessed the rush and roar of the 
tornado, as maddened clouds swept the skies, almost 
midnight darkness enveloped the earth, and gigantic 
forest trees fell before the terrific crale. But he sa\ed 



THE FOURTH VOYAGE. 3O3 

his ships, thoui^h with much difficulty. Having re- 
fitted in the little port o( AzAia, a few leagues west 
from San Domingo, he continued his voyage. After 
passing Jamaica he encountered calms and head- 
winds, and the far less endurable trials o( mutinous 
and fault-finding men. Nine troublous weeks passed 
slowly away, when they approached a small island 
near Truxillo, on the coast of Honduras. 

A canoe came out to the ship, manned by twenty- 
five Indians. They had attained a somewhat higher 
civilization than the other natives who had been met 
with. They had iron-wood swords, copper axe-heads 
and hatchets, and flint knives. They also had cop- 
per bells, and crucibles in which they could melt 
metals. They had sheets and mantles ingeniously 
woven of cotton brilliantly colored, of various hues. 
But most important of all, they had large quantities 
of cacao-nuts; from which chocolate is made. The 
Spaniards had never seen this nut before. It soon 
became one of the most extensive articles of 
commerce. 

The canoe was formed of the trunk of a single 
tree, and was very large, being eight feet wide and 
forty 01 fifty feet long. Columbus purchased theif 
whole stock in trade, paying with European trinkets. 
The natives seemed neither astonished nor alarmed, 



304 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Men and women were naodestly clothed with cotton 
garments. 

The mountains of the main land were distinctly 
seen in the south. One o( the Indians readily con- 
sented to serve as pilot. Leaving the island, which 
still retains its Indian name of Guanaja, he stood 
southerly, until he reached Cape Honduras, which 
he called Caxinas. It was Sunday morning, August 
4th. The admiral, with a large number of the crew, 
landed, and in a beautiful grove on the sea-shore, 
attended mass. Two days after, he landed at 
another point, unfurled the banners of Castile, an^ 
took possession of the country in the name of Spain 
About one hundred Indians gathered around, gazinf 
respecttully upon the ceremony. 

Continuing his vo\age along the coast of Hondu- 
ras toward the east, he struirs^led, for sixtv davs, 
against tempests and heavy rains, with such thunder 
and lightning as he had never encountered before. 
Much of the time, Columbus was confined to his bed, 
suffering extremely from gout. It often appeared, 
both to himself and his friends, that the end ot his 
storm) life was approaching. At length he reached 
a point where the line oi' the coast turned almost ac 
a right angle toward the south. He called thii 
cape, Gracias a Dios, or Thanks to God. 

As they sailed along the coast, the country 



THE FOURTH VOYAGE 3O5 

seemed ven- thickly inhabited, and presented a 
charming aspect, with its hills and vales, its groves 
and meadows. The remarkable fact is stated, that 
the natives, though ver}^ friendly, persistently refused 
to accept any gifts from the Spaniards, unless the 
Spaniards would receive native articles in return 
This seems extraordinary indeed, when we rellcct 
upon the inestimable value which the European 
cutler}' and trinkets must have possessed in their e}'es. 

The voyage was continued along the picturesque 
shores of Costa Rica. Here the}- found natives with 
ornaments of pure gold. But the energies of Colum- 
bus were, at this time, all absorbed in the endeavor 
to find the imaginar}' strait. In his search, he ex- 
plored several bays on the Isthmus of Panama. He 
sailed along the coast of Veragua for about forty 
miles. Several plates of pure gold were obtained. 
Here the Spaniards discovered, for the first time, 
edifices of solid architecture, built of stone and lime. 

On the 2d of November the squadron anchored 
m a spacious harbor, to which Columbus gave the 
name, which it still retains, of Puerto Bello. Native? 
crowded to the place, by land, and in their carues 
A storm detained the ships here seven days. On 
the 9th, they sailed about twenty-four miles to 
Nombre de Dios. The fields were richly cultivated 
with fruits, Indian corn, and other vegetables. Theii 



306 CHKISTUPHER COLUMBUS. 

vessels were in a deplorabl'e condition, from the 
piercing of a tropical worm. So long as the natives 
were treated with civility they were as friendly as 
one could desire. But Columbus could not always 
restrain the depraved and brutal sailors. The 
wretches would swim ashore, at night, and insult the 
natives in the most intolerable way. 

There were not infrequent brawls. The natives 
increased in numbers, and there was a fight. The 
ships were near the shore. Columbus feared that 
the exasperated natives might rush upon him by 
thousands. He discharged two or three heavy can- 
non, throwing the shot over their heads. The thun- 
der and lightning terrified them, and they fled in a 
panic* 

Suffering excruciatingly from sickness, and bat- 
tered by storms, Columbus set out on his return to 
Hispaniola. He found very rich indications of gold, 
but the leaky condition of his ships rendered any 
further explorations impossible. He attempted to 
establish a settlement on the river Belen, where he 
intended to leave his brother in command, while he 
returned to Spain for supplies. Eighty men weii 
selected to remain. They commenced erecting 
houses on the banks of the river. It was a fruitful 
region, abounding with bananas, plantains, pine^ 

* Las Casas lih ii. cap. 23 ; " Ilisi. del Vlmirante," caj). 92. 



THE FOURTH VOYAGE. 30; 

apples, cocoanuts, maize, and many esculent roots. 
A great variety of fishes were found in the rivei, and 
on the sea-coast. There could be no fear of suffer- 
ing for want of food. And Columbus did all in his 
power to conciliate the friendship of the natives. 

But the chief of that region, a warlike man, by 
the name of Quibian, was troubled in seeing the 
strangers erecting houses, to establish themselves 
permanently in his territories. He was suspected 
of organizing a force for the destruction of the colony 
An armed band of seventy-four men was sent secretly 
to seize the chief and all his household, and hold 
them as hostages. Unfortunately, we have but one 
side of this story. The natives had no historians. 

The boats, unseen, landed near the large edifice^ 
or palace of the chieftain. He was captured, with 
his whole household, his wives, his children, and his 
attendants. In all, they numbered fifty persons. The 
chief was bound hand and foot, the boats descended 
the river, to convey the captives to the caravel of the 
admiral, which was anchored just outside of the bar. 
It was the cruel intention of Columbus to convey 
them all to Spain, and hold them as hostages for the 
good behavior of the natives, until his return. 

Quibian, manacled as he was, succeeded in the 
night in leaping from the boat, and reaching the 
shore. The remaining captives were taken to the 



308 CHRISi^liiER Cv>LUMnLS, 

caravel, and shut up in the forecastle. The hatch 
way was secured by a strong chain and padlock. 
At night several of the most powerful warriors con- 
stJ-ucted a sort of platform beneath the hatch, and 
mounting upon it. brought their bent shoulders b^e- 
neath ! and, by a simultaneous effort, forced it up. 
In an instant they sprang forth, and plunged into the 
sea. The sailors rushed forsvard, with their drawn 
^bres, and, preventing several from escaping, again 
chained down the hatchway. 

"In the morning." writes Mr. Irving, "when the 
Spaniards went to examine the captives, they were 
all found dead. Some had hanged themselves with 
the ends of ropes, their knees touching the floor. 
Others had strangled themselves by straining the 
cords tight with their feet. Such w.is the fierce, un- 
conquerable spirit of this people, and thei** horror of 
the white men." * 

And now the exasperated natives made the most 
fierce attacks upon the settlement. Many of the 
Spaniards, and many of the nati\es, were killed. 
Tempestuous weather roughened the ocean. Those 
on shore had no means of escaping. Columbus 
could send them no aid. Demoniac v.mt was raging, 
with its usual concomitants of blood and misery. 
After many da}s of incessant conflict, and many 

* Ining's " Life of Columbus,'' vcl ii. p. 364. 



THE FOURTH VOYAGE. 309 

wild adventures, the settlement was abandoned, and 
with great difficulty, the intended colonists, tossed 
by boisterous winds and waves, embarked in three 
shattered caravels, which were hourly in danger of 
foundering, 

Columbus was truly woe-stricken. Aged, sick, 
disappointed, in constant peril of death, with all his 
crew, and surrounded with discontent and murmurs, 
life had become a burden to him. In a feverish 
dream he was comforted by what seemed to him a 
vision from God. He gave an account of this to the 
king and queen. 

*' Wearied and sighing," he wrote, '' I fell into a 
slumber. I heard a piteous voice saying to me, * O 
fool and slow to believe and serve thy God, who is 
God of all. What did He more for Moses than He 
has done for thee .'* From the time of thy birth He 
has ever had thee under his peculiar care.* " 

In this strain the supposed angel visitant cheered 
his desponding mind. The water in the river was so 
low that one of the caravels which had passed over 
the bar could not be removed ; and it was left be- 
hind. It was the latter part of April, 1503, when 
Columbus sailed from the scenes of these disasters 
on the coast of Veragua. Running along the coast, 
he was compelled to abandon another worm-eaten 
caravel at Puerto Bello. All were now crowded 



310 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

into two caravels. These could only be kept- afloal 
by incessant labor at the pumps. 

On the 30th of May, he reached the cluster of 
islands on the south side of Cuba, to which he had 
gi\'en the name of the Queen's Gardens. Just then 
one of the most terrible tempests he had ever en- 
countered struck him suddenly at midnight. Driven 
to and fro by tempests, in constant anxiety and 
suffering, with the leaks rapidly increasing, the 
storm-worn admiral at length succeeded in running 
into a harbor, which he previously visited, on the 
coast of Jamaica ; and to which he had given the 
name of Port Santa Gloria. 

He could go no farther. His caravels would soon 
sink, even in port. He ordered them both to be run 
aground, side by side, within a few yards of the 
shore. There they were fastened together into a 
fortress, with thatched cabins at the bows and the 
stern. Conscious that he could not protect himself 
against the Indians, should they prove hostile, he 
allowed no one to go on shore without permission. 
In the meantime he did everything in his power to 
secure the friendship of the Indians. The harbor 
soon swarmed with them. They brought provisions, 
which they were eager to barter with the Spaniards. 
It is evident there need have been no trouble with 
the natives, had not wrong and outrage goaded theno 
to hostility. 



CHAPTER XII. 

TJie SJiipivreck at Jamaica. 

E <ploring the island — Heroic adventures of Mendez — Mental suffer- 
ings ot Columbus — The meeting of two brothers Porras — Disas- 
ters of the mutineers — Piratic march through the island — Mr. 
Irving's testimony — Anecdote of the eclipse — Strange expedition 
of Escobar — Sufferings of the voyage — The Island of Navasa — 
The narrative of Mendez — Base conduct of Ovando — Heroism, oi 
Mendez — End of the rebellion — Their return. 

The Island of Jamaica was, at that time, very 
populous and fertile. Columbus prudently appointed 
two persons, who alone were authorized to make 
purchases of the natives. It was thought expedient 
to send off an expedition to explore the interior of 
the island. Diego Mendez, with a well-armed party, 
traversed the whole island to its eastern extremity. 
Everywhere he was received with truly fraternal 
hospitality. He passed through the territories of 
several chiefs. All were alike eager to exchange 
their products for articles of European manufacturCv 

At the end of the island there was a powerful 
chief, by the name of Ameyro. He was a very 
intelligent and attractive man, and became very 
warmly the friend of Mendez. In token of brother- 



312 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

hood they exchanged names. Mendez purchased 
of him one of those large canoes, of which we have 
spoken. He paid for it, a brass basin, a frock, and 
a shirt. His whole company, and six Indians, 
embarked in this canoe with an abundant store of 
provisions, and coasted along the shore, stopping at 
various points, back to the place of shipwreck. 

The traffic thus opened with the natives removed 
all fears of famine. But Columbus was oppressed 
with the deepest anxiety. He was wrecked on an 
almost unknown island, in an unfrequented sea. It 
was impossible to repair either of his ships, or to 
build a new one. There was not the remotest 
chance that any strange vessel could happen along 
to his relief. The distance to Hispaniola, from the 
eastern end of the island, was over one hundred and 
twenty miles ; and this was across a gulf swept by 
strong currents, and often agitated by terrific storms. 
There seemed, therefore, no probability but that the 
shipwrecked mariners must remain upon the island 
until, one after another, all should die. 

The idea occurred to Columbus that the heroic 
Mendez might be induced to undertake the perilous 
voyage to Hispaniola, in the canoe which he had 
purchased. Mendez has given an artkss and very 
interesting account of the conversation which took 



THE SHIPWRECK AT JAMAICA. 313 

place between them. The admiral summoned the 
young man into his presence, and said : 

" Diego Mendez, my son, none of those here 
understand our peril except you and myself. We 
are few in number. The Indians are many, and of 
irritable and fickle natures. On the least provoca- 
tion they can throw firebrands on our straw-thatched 
cabins, and consume us. I have thought of an escape, 
if it meets your views. In this canoe, which you 
have purchased, some one can pass over to Hispa- 
niola, and procure a ship by which we all may be 
rescued. 

Mendez replied, " Senor, our danger, I know, is 
greater than can well be imagined. But I consider 
it not merely difficult, but impossible, to pass to 
Hispaniola in so small a vessel as a canoe. It is 
necessary to traverse a gulf of forty leagues, where 
the sea is extremely impetuous and seldom in repose, 
I know not who would be willing to adventure on so 
extreme a peril." 

After a moment's pause, and perceiving that he 
himself was the person whom Columbus had in view 
to undertake the enterprise, Mendez added : 

" Senor, I have many times put my life in peril 
of death, to save you and all those who are here ; and 
God has hitherto preserved me in a miraculous man- 
ner. There are, nevertheless, those who say that 
14 



314 CHRISTOPHER COIA MBUS. 

your excellency intrusts to me all affairs where honof 
is to be gained, while there are others who would 
execute them as well as I do. I therefore beg that 
you wculd summon all the people and propose this 
enterprise to them. If all decline it, I will then come 
forward and risk my life in youi service." 

The next morning the crews of both vessels were 
assembled. No one was found to volunteer for so 
hazardous an undertaking. Mendez then stepped 
forward and said : 

*' Senor, I have but one life to lose. I am will- 
ing to venture it for your service, and for the good of 
all here present. My trust is in the protection of 
God, which I have so often before experienced." * 

The canoe was drawn ashore, and furnished with 
a false keel. Weather-boards were nailed from the 
bow to the stern, to prevent the sea from breaking 
over. A mast was suppHed, and a sail. A good 
store of provisions was laid in ; and Mendez, with but 
one Spanish companion, and six Indians, commenced 
his adventurous tour. 

It was over a hundred miles from Santa Gloria to 
Point Morant, at the eastern end of the island. 
Struggling against adverse currents, they slowly 
made their way to the eastward. Having arrived at 
Point Morant, they were detained a few days by tenv 

• " Relacion por Diego Mendez," Navarette, Colec. torn. I. 



THE SHIPWRECK AT JAMAICA. 315 

pestJious weather. A band of hostile Indians at- 
tacked them, and without difficulty captured the 
boat, with all its freight. As the Indians were dis- 
puting in the division of the spoil, Mendez escaped ; 
and, entirely alone, put out to sea in his canoe. 
Aided by both wind and current he reached Santa 
Gloria safely. What became of his Spanish com- 
panion is not known. 

The chivalric Mendez, undaunted, was ready to 
renew the enterprise. Instructed by experience, he 
took two canoes. Each conveyed six Spaniards and 
ten Indians. Bartholomew Fiesco, a Genoese of 
great excellence of character, commanded the second 
canoe. An armed band on the shore accompanied 
the boats to the end of the island. Here, after a 
delay of four days, they launched forth on their bold 
v'oyage, on a serene morning and on a smooth sea 

Columbus was left for many weary months in en- 
tire uncertainty as to their fate. The state of his 
mind may be inferred from the following almost n- 
coherent extract found in his diary : 

" Hitherto I have wept for others. But now 
have pity upon me, heaven, and weep for me, O 
earth ! In my temporal concerns without a farthing 
to offer for a mass ; cast away here in the Indies ; 
surrounded by cruel and hostile savages ; isolated, 
infirm, expecting each day will be my last ; in spirit- 



3l6 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUfc. 

ual concerns separated from the holy sacraments of 
the Church, so that my soul, if parted here from mv 
body, must be forever lost ! 

" Weep for me, whoever has charity, truth, and 
justice ! I came not on this voyage to gain honnr 
or estate. That is most certain. All hope of thf* 
kind was already dead within me. I came to serve 
your majesties, with a sound intention and an honest 
zeal. I speak no falsehood. If it should please God 
to deliver me hence, I humbly supplicate your majes- 
ties to permit me to repair to Rome, and perform 
other pilgrimages." * 

Mr. Goodrich writes : " It is even said, though in such miserable 
plight, he insisted upon the observance of all the etiquette which he 
considered due to the rank of viceroy ; that he caused himself to be 
ushered into the thatched sheds, to his frugal meals of Indian fare, by 
gentlemen esquires bearing Jlabella, while all rose at his approach 
The Franciscan garb which, in mock humility, he had assumed, must 
have accorded well with this ridiculous vanity. Such absurdities are 
characteristic of Columbus, who was as tenacious of fictitious, as he 
was incapable of inspiring real, respect." — Life of Columbus, p. 335. 

One is astonished to find that Mr. Goodrich quotes, in support of 
this statement, a passage which has no reference to Santa Gloria what- 
ever, but which describes the honors which the sovereigns conferred 
upon Columbus, at the seat of the court at Barcelona, upon the first 
return of the admiral from the discovery of the New Wcrld. Mi. 
Helps writes, describing this reception : 

" Other marks of approbation for Columbus were not wanting 
An appropriate coat-of-arms, then a thing of much significance, was 
granted him in augmentation of his own. In the shield are conspicu- 
ously emblazoned the royal arms of Castile and Leon. Nothing can 
better serve to show the immense favor which Columbus had attained 
at ccuit. by his discovery, than such a grant ; and it is '"ut a trifling 



THE SHIPWRECK AT JAMAICA. 317 

Soon after the departure of Mendez and Fiesco, 
severe sickness broke out among the men in the 
wreck. Days, weeks, months passed slowly away. 
All were sunk in the deepest despondency. They 
had nothing to occupy their minds. Murmurs arose, 
and many ungratefully reviled the admiral as the 
cause of all their calamities. 

There were, in the company, two brothers, men 
of gentlemanly birth and considerable note, Francisco 
and Diego dc Porras. These men, who are repre- 
sented as vain, insolent, and unprincipled, excited a 
mutiny against the authority of Columbus, who was 
confined to his bed, with a severe attack of the gout. 
Weary of waitini.;;, and having no hopes of hearing 
from Mendez, they, a rioting, lawless band, took ten 
canoes, and set out for Hispaniola. They were forty- 
eight in number. It does not appear that the admi- 
ral attempted any violent opposition to their reck- 
less measures."^ He was, however, exceedingly an- 
noyed by the insulting spirit of mutiny and defiance 
with which he was assailed. 

But few remained with the admiral, excepting the 

lddlti'.»n to make, in recounting his new honors, that the title of Don 
■vas given to him, and also to his brothers. He rode at the king'i 
side, was served at the taljle as a grandee ; ' All hail ' was said to him 
en state occasions, and the men of his age, happy in that, had found 
out another gieat man to honor." — See Goodrich, p. 335, and Helps 
9' 124. 

* " Historia del Almirante/' ch. cU. 



5l8 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

sick. The mutineers, breaking loose from all laws, 
robbed and maltreated the Indians mercilessly. 
With sneers they told the natives to look to Cohim- 
bus for their pay, and, if he refused, to kill him 
Columbus was left in his bed, in the endurance of 
as poic^nant bodily and mental sufferings as can 
well be imagined. The desperadoes coasted along 
the island toward the east, like a band of fiends, 
plunderinp^ the natives as they landed at various 
points. Apparently they wished to excite the hos- 
tility of the Indians, that they might be provoked to 
rise and kill the admiral, and all who were left with 
him. Thus the knowledge of their mutiny, which 
would expose them to severe punishment, would 
never be proclaimed in Spain. 

Having reached the end of the island, they pro- 
cured several Indians, probably by compulsion, to 
aid them in crossing the gulf. The canoes were 
small, without keels, and unless carefully balanced 
were easily overturned. The sea rose. The waves 
dashed over the gunwales. Death seemed inevita- 
ble. To lighten the canoes they threw the Indians 
overboard, as if they had been sheep or swine. The 
poor creatures, struggling in the waves, occasionally 
grasped the side of the canoe, to rest and recover 
breath. These demoniac men, apparently without 
the slightest repugnance, lopped off their hands with 



THE SHIPWRECK AT JAMAICA. 319 

the sword. The poor creatures, holding up the 
bleeding stumps, would shriek and sink. Thus 
eighteen perished. 

With difficulty the Spaniards worked their way 
back to the island. In the storm, they had been 
compelled to throw overboard almost everything of 
value. Disputes arose as to the best course to pur- 
sue. Some proposed sailing for Cuba, as the wind 
was favorable. Others advised abandoning the rash 
enterprise and returning penitentially to the admiral. 
Others were for repairing to Santa Gloria, and seizing 
a fresh supply of stores. The majority were in favor 
of waiting for the first fair wind, and then to make 
another bold push for Hispaniola. After the delay 
of four weeks, during which time they treated the 
natives with the utmost oppression, the weather 
became serene, and they made another attempt. 

The tempests again drove them back. Thus dis- 
heartened, they abandoned the enterprise, and slowly 
commenced their return, by land, through the heart 
of the island. They were strong men, thoroughly 
depraved, and well armed. Las Casas says that their 
march was like the passing of a pestilence. In the 
meantime Columbus, sick and world-weary was 
waiting at Santa Gloria, almost without hope, for 
some tidings from Mendez. There can be no rea- 
sonable question of the truthfulness of the following 



t20 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

beautiful tribute which Mr. Irving pays to his me:n. 
ory at this time. 

'• While Porras and his crew were raging about, 
with that desperate and joyless licentiousness which 
ittends the abandonment of principle, Columbus 
presented the opposite picture of a man true to 
others and to himself, and supported amid hardships 
and difficulties by conscious rectitude. Deserted by 
the healthful and vigorous portion of his garrison, l:.e 
exerted himself to soothe and encourage the infirm 
and desponding remnant which remained. Regard- 
less of his own painful maladies, he was only attentive 
to relieve their sufferings. The few who were fit for 
service were required to mount guard on the wreck, 
or attend upon the sick ; there were none to forage 
for provisions. The scrupulous good faith and ami- 
cable conduct maintained by Columbus toward the 
natives had now their effect. Considerable supplies 
of provisions were brought to them, from time to 
time, which he purchased at a reasonable rate. 

" The most palatable and nourishing of tnese, to- 
gether with the small stock of European biscuit that 
T'C-niained. he ordered to be appropriated ro tlie in- 
Fam. Knowing how much the body is affected by the 
operations of the mind, he endeavored to rouse the 
spirits and animate the hopes of the drooping suffer- 
ers Concealing his own anxiety, he maintained a 



THE SHIPWRECK AT JAMAICA. 32 1 

serene and even cheerful countenance, encouraging 
his men by words, and holding forth confident antici- 
pations of speedy reUef. By his friendly and careful 
treatment, he soon recruited both the health and 
spirits of his people, and brought them into a con- 
dition to contribute to the common safety. Judi- 
cious regulations, calmly but firmly enforced, main- 
tained everything in order. The men became sen- 
sible of the advantages of wholesome discipline, and 
perceived that the restraints imposed upon them by 
their commander, were for their own good, and ulti- 
mately productive of their own comfort."* 

But provisions grew scarce. The Indians were 
unaccustomed to harvest anything. They plucked 
the fruit as it grew spontaneously ; and, for their 
frugal wants, there was an ample supply. Trinkets 
lost their novelty and value. The indolent Indians 
would bring in no food from a distance. The Span- 
iards were threatened with absolute starvation. 
Under these circumstances it is said that Columbus 
rosorted to the following extraordinary expedient to 
obtain supplies. 

Availing himself of his knowledge of astronomy, 
lie summoned the caciques to a grand council, on a 
day preceding a total eclipse of the moon. He in 
formed them that God, who was the especial pra 

* Irving's " Life of Columbut " vol ii. p. 399. 

T4* 



^22 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

tector of the Spaniards, was displeased witli tliem for 
their neglect to bring in a sufficient supply of food. 
In proof of his displeasure, and of the punishment 
which awaited them, God would, that night, blot out 
the moon. Some were frightened, some derided. 

Night came. The moon began to disappear. 
All alike were terror-stricken. The caciques threw 
themselves at the feet of Columbus, and implored 
him to intercede with God on their behalf; promis- 
ing that henceforth they would be entirely obedient 
to his will. Columbus, after much persuasion, con- 
sented. As the eclipse was about to diminish, he 
retired to his cabin, as if to commune with his Maker. 
The moon soon shone forth in all its accustomed 
splendor, and there was no longer any want of 
provisions.* 

Eight months had passed since Mendez ano 
Fiesco commenced their perilous voyage. The 
rebels, under Francisco Porras, who seems to have 
been their recognized leader, were rioting here and 
there at will. One evening, just as the sun was dis- 
appearing, a sail was seen approaching the harbor, 

* This narrative seems to be accepted by all the historians of 
Cohni\bus. Il is certainly characteristic of the man and oi his times. 
We find it first in an " Account given by Uiego Mendez, iu his will, 
of some events that occurrevl in the last voyage of the Admiral Don 
Christopher Columbus," as published by the Hakluyt Society, in the 
* Select Lettei^s of Christopher Colum' us," p. 20^. 



THE SHIPWRECK AT JAMAICA 323 

The excitement was intense. The vessel cast anchor, 
and sent a boat to the wrecked caravels. The un- 
friendly Ovando, who would gladly have heard that 
Columbus had perished, learning his situation from 
Mendez, did not dare to neglect all attempts to 
rescue him. After many useless delays, he sent an 
old conspirator against Columbus, apparently to spy 
out his condition. This man, Diego de Escobar, 
had been one of the confederates of Roldan. Co- 
lumbus had condemned him to death, but Bobadilla 
had pardoned him. 

This man came alongside the caravels in his boat. 
He did not even go on board. He, however, pre- 
sented the admiral with a letter from Ovando, a cask 
of wine, and a side of bacon. Then, pushing off a 
few yards, he informed Columbus that Ovando was 
grieved to learn of his misfortune, that he regretted 
that the vessel in the harbor was not sufficiently 
large to remove him and his companions ; and that 
another would be sent as soon as possible. He re- 
quested the admiral, if he wished to send a letter to 
Ovando, to write it immediately, as he desired to 
'cpait without delay.* 

* " Standing at a distance from Columbus, as if the admiral had 
been in quarantine, he shouied, at the top of his voice, a message 
ironi Ovando, to the effect that he, the governor, regretted the admi- 
ral's misfortunes keenly • and that he hoped, before long, to send a ship 
of sufficient size to lake h m off " — Ilelus' Life 0^ Col'xmbus, p. 250. 



524 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

Columbus wrote a courteous and conciliatory let* 
ter describing their sad condition, and imploring 
prompt relief. Escobar spread his sails, and disap- 
peared. The Spaniards knew not what to make of 
this strange visit, and were plunged anew in despair. 
Columbus tried to cheer them with assurances that 
vessels would soon arrive to take them all away. 
He said that he had no desire to depart with Esco- 
bar, as the vessel was too small to remove all, and 
that he preferred to remain, and share their lot.* 

Columbus was probably correct in the impression, 
which Las Casas also entertained, that Ovando, fear- 
ing that the admiral might be reinstated in the gov- 
ernment of Hispaniola, hoped that he would perish 
on the island of Jamaica. f 

We must now turn to the adventures of Mendez 
and Fiesco. They paddled along the southern 
shore of the island, over a sea as of glass, till they 
reached the end. They then pushed boldly out into 
the apparently limitless gulf before them. There 

* In secret, however, Columbus was exceedingly indignant at the 
conduct of Ovando. He had left him for many months in a date of 
the utmost danger and most distressing uncertainty, exposed to the 
hostility of the natives, the seditions of his men, and the suggestions 
of his own despair. He had, at length, sent a mere tantalizing" mes- 
sage, by a man known to be Dne of his bitterest enemies, with a pres^ 
ent of food, which from its scantiness, seemed intended to mock their 
necessities." — Irving's Life of Cohwibus, vol. ii. p 404. 

+ Las Casas Hist. Ind..," lib. ii. cap. 33. 



THE SHIPWRECK AT JAMAICA. 325 

was not a cloud in the sky, or a breath of wind to 
ripple the ocean. The heat of the meridian sun was 
terrible. The natives often leaped into the water to 
refresh themselves, when they would again resume 
their labors at the paddle. The voyage was contin- 
ued by night and by day. The Indians, who per- 
formed all the work, took turns, one half rowing, 
while the other half slept. The Spaniards also, with 
their arms in their hands, kept guard, by turns, one 
part sleeping while the others watched. They feared 
that the Indians, whom they had undoubtedly en- 
slaved, might rise against them. 

No land was to be seen. The frail canoes rose 
and fell on the majestic undulations of the ocean, 
giving fearful admonition of the destruction which 
was their inevitable doom, should the freshening 
winds dash the angry surges against them. The heat 
created thirst so intolerable that the small quantity 
of water they were able to take with them was soon 
nearly all consumed. The little that remained was 
administered by spoonfuls to the fainting men. 
Progress, through the burning calm, could only be 
made by laborious toil with the paddle. 

The third day came and went. The nights were 
as sultry as the day. There were no signs of land. 
Nothing was to be seen but sea and sky. One of 
the Indians, in utter exhaustion fell from his seat 



326 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

and died. His body was thrown into the sea. The 
suffering from thirst became so great that none 
could sleep. The last drop of water had been dealt 
out. The Indians could scarcely move their paddles. 
One after another, many of them sank down in 
Helplessness. 

jMendez sat at the stern of his boat, in despair. 
It seemed that all must perish upon that silent sea. 
The moon began to rise, when he thought he dimly 
discerned, in the distance, some dark mass, slightly 
elevated above the surrounding surface. Soon he 
became convinced that it was land, and gave the 
joyful cry. This infused new life into their paral- 
yzed energies. Still the morning dawned before 
the enfeebled rowers reached the shore. 

It proved to be the small island of Navasa, for 
which thev had been looking^. It was a mere mass 
of barren rock, about a mile and a half in circuit, 
emer2:in2: from the sea at the distance of twentv-four 
miles from the extreme western cape of Hayti. 
Though there was not a tree, a shrub, a stream, or a 
spring, still they found in the hollow of the rocks a 
sufficient supply of water. Notwithstanding the 
cautions of the officers, several drank so inordinately 
that some died in torture, while others were long 
and dangerously sick. A few shell-hsh were found 



THE SHIPWRECK AT JAMAICA. 327 

Kindling a fire, with drift-wood, they were boiled, 
affording a delicious repast. 

They spent the day upon the island, reposing 
beneath the shadows of the rocks, and gazing wist- 
fully upon the grand mountains of Hayti, which rose 
above the horizon far away in the east. As the sun 
went down they re-embarked, and the next day 
reached Cape Tiburon, the extreme south-western 
cape of the island. In the brief account, which 
Mendez gave of the voyage, alluding first to his 
departure from Jamaica, where he left the guard 
which Columbus had furnished to accompany him to 
the end of the island, he writes: 

" Finding the sea become calm, I parted from the 
rest of the men with much mutual sorrow. I then 
commended myself to God and our Lady of Antigua, 
and was at sea five days and four nights, without 
laying down the oar from my hand ; but continued 
steering the canoe, while my companions rowed. It 
pleased God that, at the end of five days, I reached 
the island of Hispaniola, at Cape San Miguel,* hav- 
ing been two days without eating or drinking, for cui 
provisions were exhausted. 

** I brought my canoe up to a very beautiful part 
of the coast, to which many of the natives soon 
came, and brought with them many articles of food 

* San Miguel has since been called Cape Tiburon. 



328 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

SO that I remained there two days to take rest. I 
took six Indians from this place ; and, leaving those 
that I had brought with me, I put off to sea again, 
moving along the coast of Hispaniola, for it was three 
hundred and ninety miles from the spot where I 
landed to the city of St. Domingo, where the gov- 
ernor dwelt. When I had proceeded two hundred 
and forty miles along the coast of the island, not 
without great toil and danger, for that part of the 
island was not yet brought into subjugation, I reached 
the province of Azoa, which is seventy-two miles 
from St. Domingo. There I learned that the gov- 
ernor had gone to subdue the province of Xuragoa,* 
which was at one hundred and fifty miles distance. 
When I heard this, I left my canoe, and took the 
road for Xuragoa. There I found the governor, who 
kept me with him seven months, until he had burned 
and hanged eighty-four caciques, lords of vassals, and 
with them, Nacaona, the sovereign mistress of the 

Island, to whom all rendered service and obedi- 

"J 
ence. j 

'* Until lie had burned and hanged eighty-four 
caciques!*' What an insight does this short sen- 
tence give us of the atrocities perpetrated upon the 

* Xuragoa : so Mendez spells the word. It is now spelt Xaragua. 

t An account given by Diegc Mendez, in his will, of some events 
that occurred in ihe last voyage of the Admiral Don Chr stopher Co 
lumbus, p. 224. 



THE SHIPWRECK AT JAMAICA. 329 

natives by these demoniac adventurers. Ovando 
made various excuses for not sending aid to Colum- 
bus. Neither would he allow Mendez to go to San 
Domingo, doubtless from fear that he might awaken 
solicitude for the admiral ; and cause some measures 
to be instituted for his relief. At length, by constant 
importunity, he obtained permission to go to San 
Domingo, there to await the arrival of some ships 
which were expected from Spain. 

He immediately set out, on foot, to traverse a 
distance through the wilderness of over two hundred 
miles. As soon as he was gone, Ovando despatched 
the caravel, under the pardoned rebel Escobar, on his 
inexplicable expedition to the shipwrecked admiral. 

Lawlessness and crime always bring misery. 
The m-utineers at Jamaica, quarrelling among them- 
selves and hated by the natives, were in a state of 
utter wretchedness. Columbus had no doubt, now 
that his shipwreck was known, that ships must soon 
be sent for his rescue. Though Ovando might find 
excuses for delay, he would not dare to leave the 
admiral and so many Spaniards to perish unheeded. 
Columbus, learning the state of feeling among the 
mutineers, humanely sent two of his people to them, 
to inform them of the visit of Escobar; and of his 
full expectation that vessels would soon arrive for 
their rescue. He offered, to all who would return to 



330 CHRISTOPHER COLUMTUJS. 

obedience, pardon, and a free passage to Hispaniola 
in the expected ships The ringleaders of the revolt 
endeavored to conceal these offers from their deluded 
confederates. They sent back word to Coluinbu<^ 
that they had no wish to return to Hispaniola, but 
that they preferred to live at large on the island. 

With the intention of committing the men to 
acts of violence which would render their pardon 
impossible, they set out on the march to plunder 
the wrecks, and make the admiral a prisoner.* Co- 
lumbus was informed of their approach. Bartholo- 
mew Columbus, who had the title of adelantado, took 
fifty men, well-armed, and set out to meet the foe.f 
He was instructed to do all in his power, by concilia- 
tory words, to influence them to a peaceful return, 
and not to resort to violence unless it were abso- 
lutely necessary. 

But Francisco de Porras refused to listen to any 
terms of peace. He ordered his men to charge, 
with loud yells and the utmost fury. He himself 
led six of the stoutest to attack the adelantado, 
thinking that if he were killed, the rest would be 
easily dispersed. A furious battle ensued. Porras, 

* " Hist, del Almirante," cap, io6. 

f "It would appear, from this number, that either there had been 
some defection from the ranks of the mutineers, or that more than 
half the Spaniards had remained faithful to tlie admiral." — Helps 
Life of Columbus, p 252. 



THE SHIPWRECK AT JAMAICA. 33 i 

with a blo7' of his sword cut through the buckler of 
the adelantado, and wounded his hand. The sword 
was thus so wedged in the shield that he could not 
draw it out. Several men grappled him, and he was 
taken prisoner. The rest fled in confusion. 

A large number of Indians had gathered around 
the battle-field, gazing in astonishment upon the 
spectacle of the Spaniards destroying each other. 
Bartholomew^ with Porras and several prisoners ; 
returned to the ships. Several of the mutineers 
had been killed. Of his own party but two were 
wounded. The next day, which was the 20th of 
May, the fugitives sent a petition for pardon to the 
admiral, signed by all their names. The intensity 
of their desire to return to their allegiance may be 
inferred from the peculiarity of the oath which they 
proposed to take upon the cross and the mass-book. 
It was as follows : 

*' Should we ever break our oath we hope that no 
priest or other Christian may ever confess us ; that 
repentance may be of no avail ; that we may be 
deprived of the holy sacraments of the church ; that, 
at our death, we may receive no benefit from bulls or 
indulgences; that our bodies maybe cast out into 
the fields, like those of heretics or renegadoes, 
instead of being buried in holy ground; and that we 
may not receive absolution from the pope, nor fronn 



332 CHRISTOPHER COL JMBUS. 

cardinals, nor archbishops, nor bishops, nor any othe. 
Christian priest." * 

Commenting upon these awful imprecations, by 
which these guilty and wretched men endeavored to 
add validity to an oath, Mr. Irving well remarks, 
" The worthlessness of a man's word may always be 
known by the extravagant means he uses to enforce 

♦ Las Casas, " Hist. Ind.," lib. 11. cap. 32 
•f " Life of Columbus," vol. 11. p. 419. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

The Closing Scenes of Life. 

The crimes of Ovando — Depopulation of the island — Testimony of 
Mr. Irving — The rescue — Reception at San Domingo — The sym- 
pathy of Columbus for the natives — Sickness and sufferings of 
Isabella — Death and burial — Letters of Columbus — Visit to the 
court — Cold reception — His last will — The dying scene — The 
burial — His character. 

During the absence of Columbus, crimes were 
perpetrated upon the islanders, under the adminis- 
tration of Ovando, too horrible to be recorded. 
Demons from the realms of despair could have done 
nothing worse. I have no heart to describe these 
atrocities. It seems one of the greatest of mysteries 
that God could have permitted them. These de- 
mons of the human race subjected virtuous matrons 
and tender girls, young boys and aged men, to every 
indignity and cruelty which a depraved imagination 
could suggest. 

Banda were roving in all directions in search of 
gold. The little property the adventurers brought 
with them was soon exhausted. They were plunged 
into the extreme of poverty and misery. Many 



334 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

died, cursing the day when they left Spain. In the 
course of a few months, more than a thousand Span 
iards passed away to that tribunal where an account 
is to be rendered for all the deeds done in the body. 
A regular system of slavery was organized, to compel 
the natives, all unused to toil as they were, to the 
exhausting labor of working the mines. To each 
Spaniard a certain number of slaves was assigned. 
They were torn from their wives and children, and 
subjected to the cruel infliction of the lash. If a 
slave fled from this barbarity, he was hunted down 
and torn to pieces by blood-hounds, as a warning to 
others. Gangs were often driven two or three hun- 
dred miles. Many died by the way. Las Casas 
writes : 

'* I have found many dead in the road, others 
gasping under the trees, and others in the pangs of 
death, faintly crying, ' hunger ! hunger ! ' " * 

Mr. Irving, recoiling from these dreadful scenes, 
writes : '' It is impossible to pursue any further the 
picture, drawn by the venerable Las Casas, not of 
what he had heard, but of what he had seen. Na- 
ture and humanity revolt at the details. Suffice it 
to say that so intolerable were the toils and suffer- 
ings inflicted upon this weak and unoffending race, 
that they sank under them, dissolving, as it were; 

* Las Casas " Hist. Ind.," lib. ii. cap. 14, MS. 



THE CLOSING SCENES OF LIFE. 335 

from the face of the earth. Many killed themselves 
in despair; and even mothers overcame the power- 
ful instinct of nature, and destroyed the infants at 
their bt easts, to spare them a life of wretchedness. 
Twelve years had not elapsed since the discovery 
of the island, and several hundred thousand of its 
native inhabitants had perished, miserable victims to 
the grasping avarice of the white men." ^ 

The administration of Columbus, compared with 
that of Bobadilla and Ovando, was just and humane. 
He inflicted no wanton massacres. He allowed no 
barbarous punishment. It was his earnest desire to 
civilize and Christianize the Indians. Though he 
sent many natives to Spain to be sold as slaves, it 
was under the influtnce of that fanaticism, which 
was almost universally prevalent in those days, and 
which, we blush to record, has been defended and 
advocated, within half a century, in the pulpits of 
both England and America. For this Columbus 
merits severe censure. But a candid mind will make 
due allowance for the age in which he lived. The 
Bible recognizes sins of ignorance. 

A year of anxiety and sorrow had passed away, 
since the shipwreck, when, on the morning of the 
28th of June, 1504, two caravels were seen approach- 
mg the harbor. Despair gave place to almost a de* 

* Irving's *' Life of Columbus," vol. ii. p. 428. 



336 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

lirium of joy. The pardoned conspirators were 
encamped by themselves on the shore. Porras, the 
rirjgleader, was held a prisoner. The rest were 
criated as though they had been guilty of no 
offence. Still they trembled, in view of their crimes, 
and were very obsequious in their servility. Colum- 
bus appointed over them a trusty lieutenant, and 
thus the two bands had been for a long time, one 
on the ships and one on the shore, awaiting the 
arrival of succor. 

Public indignation, at San Domingo, had com- 
pelled Ovando to send, though thus tardily, this 
aid. No time was lost in the embarkation. Colum- 
bus raised his admiral's flag on one of the ships, and, 
magnanimously forgetting the wrongs he had en- 
dured, treated all with the utmost kindness. It was 
quite a long voyage from Santa Gloria, along the 
southern coast of Jamaica, thence across the gulf to 
the western end of Hayti, and then along the south- 
ern shore of the island to San Domingo. 

Tempests, adverse winds, and strong opposing 
currents delayed the passage, and it was not until 
the 13th of August, that the caravels cast anchor in 
thr harbor. Columbus had many friends there ; and 
his mistortunes had caused a reaction to take place 
in the feelings of many who had joined in the clamor 
against him. Even the governor, conscience-smit- 



THE CLOSING SCENES OF LIFE. 337 

ten, was alarmed lest he might be called to account 
for his cruel delay. Columbus was, consequently, 
much to his surprise, received by all with great cour- 
tesy and attention. But neither he nor his son 
Fernando was deceived by the hypocritical protesta- 
tions of the governor. 

Very soon there was a clashing of their not clearly 
defined powers. Questions of the right of jurisdic- 
tion rose between them. Columbus was deeply 
grieved in view of the treatment the natives had 
received, and of the desolation which overspread the 
island. He had hoped to train the natives to indus- 
trious habits, and thus to promote their own welfare 
and the revenues .of the crown. He wrote to the 
king and queen : 

*' The Indians of Hispaniola were, and are, the 
richest of the island. It is they who cultivate and 
make the bread and the provisions for the Chris- 
tians ; who dig the gold from the mines, and perform 
all the offices and labors both of men and beasts. I 
am informed that, since I left this island, six parts 
out of seven of the natives are dead ; all through ill- 
treatment and inhumanity : some by the sword^ 
others by blows and cruel usage, others through 
hunger. The greater part have perished in the 
mountains and glens, whither they had fled, fronr 

15 



338 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

not being able to support the labor imposed upon 
them."* 

Columbus was powerless to redress any gritv 
ances. He could obtain from Ovando no settlement 
of accounts; and with all his dues unpaid found 
himself in poverty. He therefore prepared, with his 
brother, to return to Spain. Two vessels were fitted 
out. Columbus took charge of one, and the adelan- 
tado of the other. Very generously Columbus, froin 
his slender means, provided for the wants of the des- 
titute sailors/left behind, even though many of these 
had been the most violent of the rebels. Scarcely 
had they left the harbor when a gust of wind carried 
away the mast of the admiral's ship. The disabled 
vessel was sent back. Columbus, with his son and 
attendants, went on board his brother's ship, r^nd 
continued the voyage. 

A succession of storms was encountered. Colum- 
bus was confined to his cot, suffering excruciatingly 
fioa. the gout. Oil the i2thof November, 1504, the 
vessels sailed from San Domingo. On the jtli of 
jVorember, his storm shattered bark cast anchor in 
the liai bor of San Lucar. He immediately proceeded 
to Seville. Infirmities, pain, care, and sorrow, fol- 
lowed him. His private affairs were in utter confu- 
sion, and he found himself in the depths of poverty. 

^ Las Casas, " II!st Intl.," lib. ii. cap. 36. 



THE CLOSING SCENES OF LIFE. 339 

Queen Isabella was on a sick and dying bed, crushed 
with such a load of domestic griefs as few have ever 
been called to bear. Ferdinand was a cold-hearted 
man, incapable of being influenced by motives of 
generosity. 

Columbus wrote to his son, urging the necessity 
of practising the most rigid economy. " I receive,' 
he says, " nothing of the revenue due to me. I live 
by borrowing. Little have I profited by twenty 
years' service, with such toils and perils ; since, at 
present, I do not own a roof in Spain. If I desire to 
eat or sleep, I have no resort but an inn. And, for 
the most time, I have not wherewithal to pay my 
bill." 

Isabella, world-weary, heart-broken, whose path 
way through life was illumined by but few rays of 
enjoyment, died at Medina del Campo, on the 26th 
of November, 1504. Seeing her friends bathed in 
tears around her bed, she said to them : 

*' Do not weep for me, nor waste your time in 
fruitless prayers for my recovery ; but pray, rather, 
for the salvation of my soul." 

She was in the 54th year of her age, and the 30th 
of her reign. A terrible tempest of wind and rain 
wrecked earth and sky, as her body was borne on 
its long journey to the grave. The rain fell in floods, 
and one of the most dismal of wintrv storms howled 



340 CIIRlSTOniER C()LUMP.US. 

around the towers of the Alhambra, as the remains 
of Isabella were consigned to their final resting- 
pLice in its gloomy vaults. 

When informed of this sad event, Columbus wrote 
to his son Diego, " The principal thing is to com- 
mend affectionately, and with great devotion, the 
soul of the queen, our sovereign, to God. Her life 
was ahva\'s catholic and holy, and prompt to all 
things in His holy ser\-ice. For this reason we may 
rest assured that she is received into His glory, and 
beyond the cares of this rough and weary world. 
The next thing is to watch and labor, in all matters, 
for the service of our sovereign the king, and to 
endeavor to alleviate his grief." 

The death of Isabella was one of the greatest 
calamities which could have befallen Columbus. He 
spent the remainder of the winter and spring at 
Seville. Most of the time he was confined to his 
bed, in severe suffering. Columbus was exceedingly 
attached to his two brothers, and was very fond of 
his sons, Ferdinand and Diego. To the eldest he 
wrote : 

*' Conduct thyself toward thy brother as the 
elder brother should to the younger. Thou hast no 
otner. And I bless God that he is such a one as 
you need. Ten brothers would not be too many for 



THE CLOSING SCENES OF LIPE. 34 1 

thee. Never liave I found better friends to right 01 
left, than my brothers." 

Columbus still had many enemies at court, who 
successfully intrigued to prevent any attention from 
being paid to his wants. He was extremely un- 
happy, and felt it to be an imperative necessity that 
he should visit the court in person. But his infirmi- 
ties were so great that it was some time before he 
could venture upon the journey. 

After the blasts of winter were over, availing 
himself of the genial weather of May, he set out, 
with his brother, the adelantado, to visit the king 
at Segovia. A weary, melancholy, neglected man, 
bowed down with sorrows more than years, the dis- 
coverer of a new world entered the gates of the im- 
perial city. ' 

" The selfish Ferdinand," writes Mr. Irving, 
" had lost sight of his past services in what appeared 
to him the inconvenience of his present demands. 
He received him with many professions of kindness, 
but with those cold, ineffectual smiles, which pass 
like wintry sunshine over the countenance, and con- 
vey nu warmth to the heart." '" 

Columbus gave the king a minute account of his 
last voyage. But no smile of kindness or tear of sym- 
pathy cheered him in his narrative. The king was 

* " Life of Columbus," vol. ii. p. 171. 



342 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

not Sparing of complimentary expressions, but was 
cruelly deficient in any practical recognition of the 
merits or the necessities of the world-weary admiraf."* 

Melancholy months passed away of deferred 
hopes and bitter disappointments. From life's hour- 
glass the last sands were falling. Mental suffering, 
combined with a torturing attack of the gout, again 
confined the admiral to his bed. For the sake of his 
family he was intensely anxious that his dignities 
should be recognized, and that his property might 
be protected, so that those he loved might be 
shielded from want. Still he was far more solici- 
tous to leave his children the inheritance of an hon- 
ored name than to recover his pecuniary losses. 
From his couch of agony he wrote to the king, en- 
treating that his son Diego might be appointed to 
the viceroyalty, of which he had been so unjustly 
deprived. 

" This," he wrote, " is a matter which concerns 
my honor. As to all the rest, do as your majesty 
may think proper. Give or withhold, as may be 
most for your interest, and I shall be content. I 

* " I know not," writes the venerable Las Casas, " what could 
cause this dislike, and this want of princely countenance, in the king, 
toward one who had rendered him such preeminent benefits, unless 
it were that his mind was swayed by the false testimonies which had 
been biought against the admiral ; of which I have been able to learn 
something from persons much in favor v/itb the sovereigns." — Las 
Casas, Hist. Ind.^ lib. ii cap. 37. 



THE CLOSING SCENES of LIKE. 343 

believe the anxiety created by the delay cif this 
affair is the principal cause of my sickness." 

He at length became convinced that there was 
ao hope of redress from Ferdinand. Upon his bed 
of suffering he wrote the following despairing letter 
to his firm friend, Diego de Deza : 

** It appears that his majesty does not think fit 
to fulfil that which he, with the queen, who is now 
in glory, promised me by word and seal. For me to 
contend to the contrary would be to contend with 
the wind. I have done all that I could do. I leave 
the rest with God, whom I have ever found propi- 
tious to me in my necessities." ^ 

There is something inexpressibly sad in the death 
of this infirm but heroic man, wrecked in body and 
mind by the storms of one of the most tempestuous 
of earthly lives. It had, for some time, been manifest 
to his friends that his end was drawing nigh. He 
soon became convinced himself that his earthly voy- 
age must soon terminate, and that he was approach- 
ing that final harbor where the weary are at rest. 
The elevated character of Columbus shines fortli 
conspicuously in the will which he executed in the 
solemn hours. 

His son Diego, in accordance with the law of 
primogeniture, was his principal heir. He enjoined 

* Navarette, Caiw;., rom. 1. 



344 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. 

that the estate should never be alienated or dimin- 
ished. He urged that his heirs should be always 
laithful to their sovereign, and should do all in theit 
i)v)vver for the promotion of the Christian faith. One 
tenth of the income was to be devoted to the aid ci 
poor relatives and other persons in want. lie le 
quested that a chapel should be raised at the town 
of Concepcion, in Hispaniola, where masses should be 
daily performed for the repose of the souls of him- 
self, his father, his mother, his wife, and all who had 
died in the faith." 

At length the dying hour came. Columbus was 
fully conscious that the time for his departure had 
arrived. He welcomed the approach of death, as a 
friendly messenger to remove him from care and 
pain. His last act was to partake of the holy sacra- 
ment. His last words were : In niamis tuas^ Domine^ 
couuncndo spiritiini viciiin. Into thy hands, O Lord, 
I commend my spirit. It was the 20th of May, 1506. 
Columbus was then, it is supposed, about seventy 
ysars of age. His funeral was attended, in Valladnlid, 

* " All >tlier clause recommends to the care of Don Diego, B( aliii 
Fnriquez, the mother of liis natural son Fernando. His connoclior 
with hei had never been sanctioned by matrimony ; and either thiy 
circumstance, or ?onie neglect of her, seems to have awakened deep 
coni|)unction in his dying nKunents. He orders Don Diego to pro- 
vide for hei respectable maintenance. ' And let this be done,' he 
adds, ' ior the discharge of my conscience ; for it weighs heavy on mj 
soul.' " — Irving's Co'unihus, vol. ii. p. 481. 



THE CLOSING SCENES OF LIFE. 345 

with regal pomp. His remains were first deposited 
m the church of Santa Maria de la Antigua. After 
seven years, in 15 13, they were removed to the 
Carthusian monastery of Las Cuevas of Seville. 
Twenty-three years afterward they were transferred, 
vvith those of his son, Don Diego, to the cathedral 
of the city of San Domingo. But even here they 
were not allowed to find their final resting place. 
Upon the cession of the island to the French in the 
year 1797, they were again removed by the Spanish 
authorities to the cathedral of Havana, in Cuba. 
There they now remain, awaiting the summons of 
the archangel's trumpet, at whose call all that are in 
their graves shall come forth. 

Each reader, from the perusal of the above narra- 
tive, will form his own estimate of the character of 
Columbus, and will award the meed of praise or blame, 
as in his opinion may be just. His eventful life was, 
on the whole, one of the most joyless and full of 
trouble of which we have any record. That he had 
his faults all will admit. That those blemishes of 
character were redeemed by many and exalted vir^ 
Uies, few candid minds will deny. And Christian 
faith rejoices in the belief that, life's tempestuous 
voyage being- over, he has gone to that blissful world, 
where the weary are at rest. 

THE END. 



OCT 1 1903 



